Decrease in choline acetyltransferase and in high affinity glutamate uptake in the red nucleus of the cat after cerebellar lesions.
Acetylcholine (ACh) is suggested to be a neurotransmitter in cerebellothalamic and cerebellorubral fibres. We therefore measured choline acetyltransferase (CAT) activity in the cat red nucleus after lesion of the contralateral cerebellum. Decreased CAT activity was obtained (-37%), specifically localized in the red nucleus and particularly in its rostral parvocellular part. Since the red nucleus of the cat displays rather low CAT levels, the possible cholinergic input seems not be sufficient to explain the powerful action of the cerebellum on red nucleus magnocellular neurons. As glutamic acid (Glu) may be the neurotransmitter of many excitatory systems in the brain, we measured high affinity Glu uptake in the red nucleus after lesions of the contralateral cerebellum. Results showed a decreased (-35%) Glu activity restricted to the red nucleus and particularly in its caudal magnocellular part.
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002415:Cats; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000502:physiology*; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012012:Red Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*
D005971:Glutamates; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase