THE ROLE OF THE CHOLINERGIC SYSTEM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN CEREBELLUM

Citation
Ja. Court et al., THE ROLE OF THE CHOLINERGIC SYSTEM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMAN CEREBELLUM, Developmental brain research, 90(1-2), 1995, pp. 159-167
Citations number
54
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences
ISSN journal
01653806
Volume
90
Issue
1-2
Year of publication
1995
Pages
159 - 167
Database
ISI
SICI code
0165-3806(1995)90:1-2<159:TROTCS>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
High affinity(-)nicotine ([H-3]nicotine), alpha-bungarotoxin ([I-125]a lpha-bungarotoxin) and muscarinic binding ([H-3]N-methyl scopolamine) in the human cerebellum were compared between the foetal period (23-39 weeks gestation) and young adulthood (14-34 years) in an autoradiogra phic study. To estimate proportions of muscarinic receptor subtypes va riable wash times and displacement with pirenzepine were employed. [H- 3]Nicotine binding and total muscarinic binding in foetuses exceeded t hat in young adults by a factor of 6 and 2 respectively in the dentate nucleus, and by a factor of 3 in white matter. [H-3]Nicotine and musc arinic binding was also higher in the foetal external granule cell lay er than in the internal granule cell layer of adult. [I-125]alpha-Bung arotoxin binding was raised in the dentate nucleus of the foetus compa red with the adult. The M(2) subtype appeared to be the predominant mu scarinic receptor in the cerebellum, however it tended to represent a lower proportion of the muscarinic binding in the foetus than the adul t. All 3 receptor types were highest in the foetal brainstem where the M(3) + M(4) muscarinic subtypes appeared to predominate. The p75 nerv e growth factor receptor, measured by immunocytochemistry, in common w ith cholinergic receptors, paralleled choline acetyltransferase activi ty which has previously been reported to be high in the cerebellum dur ing late foetal development and to fall in adulthood.