MUSCARINIC RECEPTORS ON HUMAN ECCRINE SWEAT GLAND IN AGING AND ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Age and Alzheimer's disease-related changes have been reported in the peripheral cholinergic system controlling sweating. We present (1) evi dence of a high affinity muscarinic receptor localized on human eccrin e sweat gland and (2) muscarinic receptor Concentrations on eccrine gl and samples from 22 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease of vari ous degrees of dementia, 8 age-matched controls, and 11 young controls . Muscarinic receptors were measured using autoradiography with H-3-NM S as ligand. We found no evidence of changes related to aging or Alzhe imer's disease in the overall concentration of receptors or in the amo unt of gland showing binding. Nor was there any correlation between th e degree of dementia as measured by the Global Deterioration Scale or the Mini-Mental State Exam and H-3-NMS binding. In conclusion, we find no evidence that previously reported sweat gland functional changes a ssociated with aging and Alzheimer's disease are reflected in changes in eccrine gland muscarinic receptor density.