Reductions in corticotropin releasing factor-like immunoreactivity in cerebral cortex in alzheimer's disease, parkinson's disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy

P. J. Whitehouse, W. W. Vale, R. M. Zweig, H. S. Singer, R. Mayeux, M. J. Kuhar, D. L. Price, E. B. De Souza

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

84 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dementias occurring in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy are associated with dysfunction and death of neurons in a variety of cell populations, including cholinergic, monoaminergic, and peptidergic systems. In the present investigation of these three disorders, we demonstrated decreased levels of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-like immunoreactivity in the frontal, temporal, and occipital poles of the neocortex. Moreover, reductions in peptidergic immunoreactivity correlated with reductions in the activity of choline acetyltransferase, the enzyme that catalyzes the formation of acetylcholine. The reduction in cortical CRF levels may be due to abnormalities of intrinsic cortical neurons or to dysfunction in neurons that contain CRF and innervate cortex.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)905-909
Number of pages5
JournalNeurology
Volume37
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1987
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Reductions in corticotropin releasing factor-like immunoreactivity in cerebral cortex in alzheimer's disease, parkinson's disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this