title: Distribution of nicotinic receptors in human thalamus as visualized by 3H-nicotine and 3H-acetylcholine receptor autoradiography.
abstract: Nicotinic cholinergic receptors in human thalamus were measured using (-)3H-nicotine (20 nM) and 3H-acetylcholine (3H-ACh) (20 nM) as radioligands. The specific binding for 3H-nicotine to homogenates of thalamus was 51.6 +/- 8.3 pmol/g protein and for 3H-ACh 18.6 +/- 1.9 pmol/g protein. Receptor autoradiography indicated a high labelling of both 3H-Nicotine and 3H-ACh in the antero-ventral nucleus of thalamus and dorso-medial nucleus of thalamus, while the labelling was lower in the postero-lateral nucleus of thalamus and in the postero-lateral ventral nucleus of thalamus. Quantitative measurement of the 3H-nicotine autoradiograms showed highest labelling in the anteroventral nucleus of thalamus (17.34 +/- 0.76 pmol/g tissue). This study indicates a heterogeneous distribution of high-affinity nicotinic receptors in the human thalamus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adem
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jossan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: d'Argy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Winblad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nordberg
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000032:analysis; D000368:Aged; D001345:Autoradiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000032:analysis; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D009538:Nicotine; D000109:Acetylcholine