Nucleus-specific alteration of raphe neurons in human neurodegenerative disorders.
Neurodegenerative diseases share symptoms suggested to be related to the serotonergic system. To evaluate the involvement of serotonergic raphe nuclei, we compared the percentage of neurons synthesizing serotonin in the nucleus centralis superior (NCS), raphe obscurus and pallidus (NROP) in Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and control brains. We used immunohistochemistry for tryptophan hydroxylase (TpOH), phosphorylated tau, and alpha-synuclein. We observed a significant decrease in the NCS in the NROP in AD, but a significant increase in PSP and MSA. Cytoskeletal pathology was present in the NCS and NROP to a variable degree. We conclude that there is disease- and nucleus-specific alteration of serotonin synthesis in the raphe.
Kovacs
Gabor G
GG
Institute of Neurology, University of Vienna, Austria.
Klöppel
Stefan
S
Fischer
Ingeborg
I
Dorner
Suzanne
S
Lindeck-Pozza
Elisabeth
E
Birner
Peter
P
Bötefür
Ingolf C
IC
Pilz
Peter
P
Volk
Benedikt
B
Budka
Herbert
H
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011149:Pons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013494:Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051843:Synucleins; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000032:analysis; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000032:analysis
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C497604:SNCA protein, human; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D016875:tau Proteins; D012701:Serotonin; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase