A DOPAMINE-SYNTHESIZING CELL GROUP DEMONSTRATED IN THE HUMAN BASAL FOREBRAIN BY DUAL LABELING IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL TECHNIQUE OF TYROSINE-HYDROXYLASE AND AROMATIC L-AMINO-ACID DECARBOXYLASE

The human basal forebrain has been known to contain many neurons immun oreactive (ir) to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH; the first dopamine-synthes izing enzyme). We examined whether these neurons might contain aromati c L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC; the second step dopamine-synthesiz ing enzyme) by dual labeling immunohistochemistry and confocal laser-s canning microscopy. Neurons dually-labeled for TH and AADC were found in the anterior olfactory nucleus, olfactory tubercle and the ventral margin of the rostral nucleus accumbens. The examination in the basal forebrain of the macaque monkey also gave substantially the same resul ts. These neurons appear to constitute an independent dopaminergic cel l group in the primate basal forebrain. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Irel and Ltd.