title: Transmitter synthesis increases in substantia nigra neurons of the aged mouse.
abstract: Striatal dopamine concentrations are relatively well maintained with age despite extensive death of the nigrostriatal neurons whose terminals contain the dopamine. Counts of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in C57BL mice identified using immunocytochemistry, Fluoro-Gold retrograde axonal transport and Nissl staining were combined with measures of striatal dopamine and DOPA after saline, pargyline or NSD-1015 treatment. On average, 68% of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons died between ages 8 and 104 weeks and there was a 3-fold increase in dopamine synthesis per average neuron in the aged mice. Increased transmitter synthesis by surviving neurons may serve to compensate brain function in old age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Ont, Canada.
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Tatton
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Seniuk
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010293:Pargyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D013266:Stilbamidines; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C049774:2-hydroxy-4,4'-diamidinostilbene, methanesulfonate salt; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006834:Hydrazines; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D013266:Stilbamidines; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D010293:Pargyline; C004297:3-hydroxybenzylhydrazine; D004298:Dopamine