title: Is the loss of thalamostriatal neurons protective in parkinsonism?
abstract: Neuronal loss in Parkinson's disease (PD) is more widespread than originally thought. Among the extrastriatal sites in which significant loss of neurons has been reported is the centremedian-parafascicular (CM-PF) complex of the thalamus, which provides one of the three major afferent sources to the striatum. The functional significance of CM-PF loss in PD is unclear. Interestingly, several recent small trials have suggested that deep brain stimulation of the CM-PF improves motor function in PD. We discuss the possible transsynaptic determination of CM-PF loss secondary to nigrostriatal dopamine degeneration, and suggest that expression of the glycoprotein cerebellin1 (Cbln1) in CM-PF neurons may play an important role in striatal synaptic remodeling in parkinsonism.
authors.affiliation: Program in Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.
authors.forename: Sheila V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Kusnoor
authors.forename: E Chris
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Muly
authors.forename: James I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Ariel Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Deutch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000473:pathology*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000473:pathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C484271:CBLN1 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D004298:Dopamine