title: CSF dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Although the most prominent neurochemical change in parkinsonism is nigrostriatal dopamine deficiency, norepinephrine content is also diminished in the CNS. In this study, dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity, a marker of central noradrenergic activity, was measured in the CSF of previously unmedicated parkinsonian patients and normal controls. The parkinsonian patients showed a reduction in CSF DBH levels to 41% of control values (p less than 0.01). Possible explanations for the decrease included a decreased noradrenergic nerve pool or a diminished rate of synthesis of catecholamines.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D009638:Norepinephrine