Mapping of enkephalins in human brain. An immunohistofluorescence study on brains from patients with senile and presenile dementia.
The results of this study of the distribution of enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in four human "senile" and "presenile" brains by immunofluorescence microscopy (Coons' Method) showed specifically fluorescing varicosities containing fibres in the following areas: nucleus accumbens, nucleus caudatus, pallidum (mainly the external segment), septal nuclei, substantia innominata, hypothalamus, hypophysis, substantia nigra, nucleus interpeduncularis, locus coeruleus and other nuclei of the brain stem, most of the nuclei of the cranial nerves (mainly the sensitive) and spinal cord (mainly the substantia gelatinosa of the posterior horn). Fibres were observed surrounding cell bodies in the substantia nigra, in the nucleus raphe and in the anterior horn of the spinal cord (motor cells). Cylindrical ("pipe-shaped") structures formed by enkephalin-like immunoreactive fibres were seen in the pallidum, between the pallidum and the nucleus accumbens, and in the substantia nigra. A complete map of enkephalin-like immunoreactivity, based on Riley's Atlas of the human brain, is included. The distribution of enkephalin-like immunoreactivity showed many similarities to that in animal species that have been studied by immunohistochemistry (rat, primate) except for a lack of detectable enkephalin immunoreactivity in the amygdala in our material. No conclusions about the possible relationship of this finding to the clinical condition of dementia can be drawn without further work.
D000368:Aged; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003704:Dementia / Q000378:metabolism*; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000032:analysis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D004745:Enkephalins