title: Age-related diminution of dopamine antagonist-stimulated vesamicol receptor binding.
abstract: Previous studies of radiolabeled vesamicol receptor (VR) ligands suggest that the latter may be used in conjunction with dopamine D2 antagonists to measure changes in striatal cholinergic function. In this study, the effects of aging on vesicular acetylcholine storage/release were investigated with the high-affinity VR ligand (+)-meta-[125I)iodobenzyltrozamicol [(+)-[125I]MIBT].
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Fischer 344 rats (aged 3 and 24 mo) were injected either with a vehicle or a D2 antagonist [haloperidol or S-(-)-eticlopride]. At prescribed intervals thereafter, all animals were intravenously injected with 10 microCi of (+)-[125I]MIBT. Three hours after radiotracer injection, the animals were killed and their brains dissected. The concentration of radiotracer in the striatum, cortex and cerebellum were then determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In control animals, comparable levels of (+)-[125I]MIBT were observed in corresponding brain regions of young adult and aged Fischer 344 rats. Moreover, in haloperidol- and S-(-)-eticlopride-treated young adult rats, striatal levels of (+)-[125I]MIBT were elevated by 35% and 66%, respectively, relative to controls. In contrast, haloperidol treatment failed to alter the striatal levels of (+)-[125I]MIBT in aged rats while S-(-)-eticlopride displayed a twofold reduction in potency in aged rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aging is associated with a reduction in striatal cholinergic plasticity or striatal cholinergic reserve and that the D2-stimulated increase in VR ligand binding is a functionally relevant parameter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Efange
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Langason
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Khare
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D006220:Haloperidol; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007462:Iodobenzenes; D008297:Male; D010880:Piperidines; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D012457:Salicylamides; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007462:Iodobenzenes; D010880:Piperidines; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D012457:Salicylamides; C083232:vesamicol receptor; C081671:(3-iodobenzyl)trozamicol; D006220:Haloperidol; C045989:eticlopride