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Altered histamine H 3 receptor radioligand binding in post‐mortem brain samples from subjects with psychiatric diseases
Author(s) -
Jin CY,
Anichtchik O,
Panula P
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2009.00149.x
Subject(s) - histamine h3 receptor , hippocampal formation , subiculum , radioligand , neuroscience , bipolar disorder , temporal cortex , hippocampus , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychology , medicine , endocrinology , dorsolateral prefrontal cortex , prefrontal cortex , dentate gyrus , receptor , psychiatry , cognition , antagonist
Background and purpose: Histamine is a modulatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Auto‐ and hetero‐histamine H 3 receptors are present in human brain and are potential targets of antipsychotics. These receptors may also display disease‐related abnormalities in psychiatric disorders. Here we have assessed how histamine H 3 receptors in human brain may be affected in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression. Experimental approach: Histamine H 3 receptor radioligand binding assays were applied to frozen post‐mortem prefrontal and temporal cortical sections and anterior hippocampal sections from subjects with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and matched controls. Key results: Compared with the controls, increased H 3 receptor radioligand binding was found in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of schizophrenic subjects (especially the ones who were treated with atypical antipsychotics), and bipolar subjects with psychotic symptoms. No differences in H 3 receptor radioligand binding were found in the temporal cortex. In hippocampal formation of control subjects, H 3 receptor radioligand binding was prominent in dentate gyrus, subiculum, entorhinal cortex and parasubiculum. Decreased H 3 binding was found in the CA4 area of bipolar subjects. Decreased H 3 binding in CA2 and presubiculum of medication‐free bipolar subjects was also seen. Conclusions and implications: The results suggest that histamine H 3 receptors in the prefrontal cortex take part in the modulation of cognition, which is impaired in schizophrenic subjects and bipolar subjects with psychotic symptoms. Histamine H 3 receptors probably regulate connections between hippocampus and various cortical and subcortical regions and could also be involved in the neuropathology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.