Parkinson's disease: decreased density of 3H-imipramine and 3H-paroxetine binding sites in putamen.
The density of high-affinity 3H-imipramine and 3H-paroxetine binding sites (two serotonin-uptake blockers) was decreased in the putamen of parkinsonian patients. The correlation between serotonin levels and the number of 3H-imipramine and 3H-paroxetine binding sites suggests that they are located on serotoninergic nerve terminals and could be used to study serotoninergic innervation in the human brain. Since imipramine and paroxetine are powerful antidepressants, these results furthermore suggest that decreased serotoninergic transmission may be implicated in the pathophysiology of depression in Parkinson's disease.
D000368:Aged; D001665:Binding Sites; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D017374:Paroxetine; D010880:Piperidines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011699:Putamen / Q000378:metabolism*; D014316:Tritium / Q000378:metabolism
D010880:Piperidines; D014316:Tritium; D017374:Paroxetine; D007099:Imipramine