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Evidence of a Monoaminergic‐Cholinergic Imbalance Related to Visual Hallucinations in Lewy Body Dementia
Author(s) -
Perry Elaine K.,
Marshall Elizabeth,
Kerwin Janet,
Smith Carthage J.,
Jabeen Sabiha,
Cheng Anthony V.,
Perry Robert H.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1990.tb03162.x
Subject(s) - lewy body , monoaminergic , cholinergic , choline acetyltransferase , serotonergic , neurochemical , neuroscience , hallucinating , psychology , dopamine , dementia , serotonin , medicine , endocrinology , receptor , disease , artificial intelligence , computer science
Senile dementia of Lewy body type is characterized clinically by a relatively acute onset of fluctuating memory loss and confusion, frequently accompanied by visual hallucinations. Neurochemical analyses of temporal cortex has revealed a distinction between hallucinating and nonhallucinating patients in both cholinergic and monaminergic transmitter activities. In contrast with the cholinergic enzyme choline acetyltransferase, which was more extensively reduced in hallucinating individuals, serotonergic S 2 receptor binding and both dopamine and serotonin metabolites were significantly decreased in nonhallucinating cases. These results suggest that an imbalance between monaminergic and cholinergic transmitters is involved in hallucinogenesis in the human brain.