| Abstract: | Using ligand binding techniques, we studied alpha-adrenergic receptors in brains obtained at autopsy from seven histologically normal controls and seven patients with histopathologically verified Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD). Binding of the alpha-adrenergic antagonists 3H]prazosin and 3H]yohimbine to membranes of human brains exhibited characteristics compatible with alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors, respectively. Binding of both ligands was saturable and reversible, with dissociation constants of 0.15 nM for 3H]prazosin and 5.5 nM for 3H]yohimbine. 3H]Prazosin binding was highest in the hippocampus and frontal cortex and lowest in the caudate and putamen in the control brains. 3H]Yohimbine binding was highest in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM) and frontal cortex and lowest in the caudate and cerebellar hemisphere in the control brains. Compared with values for the controls, 3H]prazosin binding sites were significantly reduced in number in the hippocampus and cerebellar hemisphere, and 3H]yohimbine binding sites were significantly reduced in number in the NbM in the ATD brains. These results suggest that alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors are present in the human brain and that there are significant changes in numbers of both receptors in selected regions in patients with ATD. |
