Preservation of hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease.
The integrity of the hypothalamic neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease was assessed by comparing the numbers and distribution of melanin-pigmented neurons in the arcuate and periventricular nuclei in 7 parkinsonian and 5 normal brains. No significant differences were observed. In contrast to theories suggesting that Parkinson's disease involves a universal degeneration of central catecholaminergic neurons, the hypothalamic neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons do not appear to be involved by the disease.
D000368:Aged; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology*
D008543:Melanins; D004298:Dopamine