10 research outputs found
6-[18F]Fluoro-L-DOPA and Cerebral Blood Flow in Unilaterally MPTP-Treated Monkeys
Intravenous administration of 15O-labeled
water and 6-[18F]-L-fluorodopa were used to
assess abnormal striatal activity in monkeys
after long-term recovery of unilateral lesions of
the dopaminergic nigro-striatal system induced
by the neurotoxin MPTP. PET data were
examined in relation to behavioral and
biological parameters. Cerebral blood flow and
6-[18F]-L-DOPA uptake were found to be
significantly reduced in the lesioned striatum,
compared to the unaffected side and to normal
controls. There was no correlation between
cerebral blood flow and any of the behavioral
parameters. The uptake rate constant of 18F-DOPA from blood to striatum and the ratios of
striatum to occipital areas were highly
correlated to the concentrations of homovanillic
acid in the cerebrospinal fluid of the same
animals but not to the rotational behavior. This
MPTP-inducedmodei of striatal dopamine
deficiency in primates presents similarities with
idiopathic Parkinson's disease and may be used
to evaluate the effects of dopaminergic lesions
and transplants on brain function
Crystallization of proteins by dynamic control of supersaturation
Issued as Report, and Thesis, Project no. G-33-640Thesis has author: Lori June WilsonReport has author: Richard F. BrownerThesis has title: Crystallization of proteins by dynamic control of supersaturatio
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CSF concentrations of neurotensin in schizophrenia: an investigation of clinical and biochemical correlates
Neurotensin (NT), a peptide which colocalizes with dopamine in some midbrain and hypothalamic neurons, has been speculated to play a role in schizophrenic illness and in the action of antipsychotic drugs. Previous work suggested a bimodal distribution of NT in patients with schizophrenia, with a subgroup having low drug-free NT concentrations which normalize with neuroleptic treatment. We studied 15 schizophrenic patients with CSF samples collected both off and on neuroleptic medication, 12 with only drug-free (DF) samples, and 10 controls. There was no significant difference in CSF NT concentrations between patients and controls, or between patients off and on medication. However, 7 patients with DFNT CSF concentrations below the patient mean showed an increase with neuroleptic treatment. Moreover, NT was significantly lower for women. Significant correlations with NT concentrations in CSF were found with deficit symptoms in patients, and with the age of the CSF sample for all subjects. There was no correlation between CSF NT concentrations and patient age, duration of illness, or levels of amine metabolites (MHPG, 5HIAA, HVA)