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Original Article

Presynaptic and postsynaptic dopaminergic binding densities in the nigrostriatal and mesocortical systems in early Parkinson's disease: A double-tracer positron emission tomography study

  1. Yasuomi Ouchi MD, PhD1,2,*,
  2. Toshihiko Kanno RT1,
  3. Hiroyuki Okada BA3,
  4. Etsuji Yoshikawa BA3,
  5. Masami Futatsubashi BA3,
  6. Shuji Nobezawa RT1,
  7. Tatsuo Torizuka MD, PhD1,
  8. Masanobu Sakamoto MD, PhD2

Article first published online: 17 MAY 2001

DOI: 10.1002/1531-8249(199911)46:5<723::AID-ANA7>3.0.CO;2-R

Issue

Annals of Neurology

Annals of Neurology

Volume 46, Issue 5, pages 723–731, November 1999

Additional Information

How to Cite

Ouchi, Y., Kanno, T., Okada, H., Yoshikawa, E., Futatsubashi, M., Nobezawa, S., Torizuka, T. and Sakamoto, M. (1999), Presynaptic and postsynaptic dopaminergic binding densities in the nigrostriatal and mesocortical systems in early Parkinson's disease: A double-tracer positron emission tomography study. Ann Neurol., 46: 723–731. doi: 10.1002/1531-8249(199911)46:5<723::AID-ANA7>3.0.CO;2-R

Author Information

  1. 1

    Positron Medical Center, Hamamatsu Medical Center, Hirakuchi, Japan

  2. 2

    Department of Neurology, Hamamatsu Medical Center, Hirakuchi, Japan

  3. 3

    Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Hirakuchi, Japan

*Positron Medical Center, Hamamatsu Medical Center, 5000 Hirakuchi, Hamakita 434-0041, Japan

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 17 MAY 2001
  2. Article first published online: 17 MAY 2001
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 17 JUN 1999
  4. Manuscript Revised: 20 MAY 1999
  5. Manuscript Received: 8 MAR 1999

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Abstract

To investigate changes in the relation between presynaptic and postsynaptic dopaminergic functions in vivo in both nigrostriatal and mesocortical systems in Parkinson's disease (PD), 10 drug-naive early PD patients were studied twice using positron emission tomography with [11C]CFT (dopamine transporter probe) followed by [11C]SCH 23390 (D1 receptor probe). Regional binding potentials (k3/k4) of [11C]CFT and [11C]SCH 23390 in the striatum (nigrostriatal system) and the orbitofrontal cortex (mesocortical system) were estimated by compartment analyses. Levels of [11C]CFT k3/k4 in the two projection areas were shown to be significantly lower in PD, whereas [11C]SCH 23390 levels remained unchanged. Regression analysis showed that estimates of CFT k3/k4 were positively correlated with those of SCH 23390 k3/k4 in the striatum in normal control, whereas the two binding estimates were less positively correlated in the caudate and inversely correlated in the putamen in PD. No significant correlation was observed in the orbitofrontal cortex in both groups. These results indicated that dopamine transporters and D1 receptors change in parallel in the normal striatal synapses, but the association becomes asymmetrical because of reduction in presynaptic and relative elevation in postsynaptic markers in PD. Alterations in synaptic parallel regulation in the nigrostriatal system might reflect early pathophysiology in the parkinsonian brain.

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