title: Hypersensitivity of cortical muscarinic receptors in Parkinson's disease demonstrated by PET.
abstract: The status of muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) is not clear in Parkinson's disease (PD). We measured mAChR binding in the brain of eight patients with PD and eight, age-matched, healthy controls by positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]N-methyl-4-piperidyl benzilate ([11C]NMPB). PD patients were not demented according to DSM III criteria but showed significant frontal lobe dysfunction in the Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. A mean K3 value, which is an index of mAChR binding calculated by a graphical method, was 20% higher in the frontal cortex of PD patients than controls (p < 0.05). Hypersensitivity of mAChRs in the frontal cortex of PD patients may be a response to a loss of ascending cholinergic input to that region, and may relate to frontal lobe dysfunction in PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chiba University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asahina
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinotoh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirayama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suhara
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shishido
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tateno
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic