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Lookup NU author(s): Emeritus Professor Elaine Perry, Dr Jennifer Court, Emeritus Professor Robert Perry
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Cholinergic nicotinic and muscarinic receptor binding were measured in post mortem human brain tissue, using low (nM) concentrations of (3H)-nicotine to detect predominately the high affinity nicotinic site and (3H)-N-methylscopolamine in the presence and absence of 3×10−4 M carbachol to measure both the low and high affinity agonist subtypes of the muscarinic receptor group. Consistent with most previous reports, the nicotinic but not muscarinic binding was reduced in the different forms of dementia associated with cortical cholinergic deficits, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, senile dementia of Lewy body type (SDLT) and Down's syndrome (over 50 years). Analysis of (3H)-nicotine binding displaced by a range of carbachol concentrations (10−9–10−3 M) indicated 2 binding sites for nicotine and that the high affinity rather than low affinity site was reduced in Alzheimer's disease. In all 3 cortical areas investigated (temporal, parietal and occipital) there were increases in the low affinity muscarinic site in Parkinson's disease and SDLT but not Alzheimer's disease or middle-aged Down's syndrome. This observation raised the question of whether the presence of neurofibrilalry tangles (evident in the latter but not former 2 disorders) is incompatible with denervation-induced muscarinic supersensitivity in cholinoceptive neurons which include cortical pyramids generally affeced by tangle formation.
Author(s): Perry EK, Smith CJ, Court JA, Perry RH
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Neural Transmission – Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia Section
Year: 1990
Volume: 2
Issue: 3
Pages: 149-158
Print publication date: 01/01/1990
ISSN (print):
ISSN (electronic): 1435-1463
Publisher: Springer
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2FBF02257646
DOI: 10.1007%2FBF02257646
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