It could be shown that the post mortem analysis of biogenic amines, precursors and metabolites in the human brain are influenced by various parameters. 1. The patient's medical history; long term observations of the course of the disease; age; sex. 2. Terminal illness; duration of terminal illness. 3. Previous treatment with drugs; last drugs. 4. Time interval between last drug treatment and death; time of day and date of last drug consumption. 5. Rapidity of death; time of death; duration of coma. 6. Changes occurring in tissues before death; patients' constitution during terminal illness. 7. Changes in concentration of the biogenic amines, precursors, and metabolites depending on the patient's age. 8. Time between death and necropsy. 9 Dissection of specimen. 10. Period of storage; temperature of storage. 11. Chronbiological rhythm of substances. 12. Methods of assayL 13. Homogeneity of all mentioned parameters in the control group and patient's group. For the first time it could be demonstrated that the time course of nigrostriatal degeneration, independent of the age of the parkinsonian at the beginning of the illness, is linear for the last stage and the denervation progressively increases as the duration of illness progresses.
1. Significantly reduced values of noradrenaline in Parkinson's disease were observable in all brain areas which were studied. 2. A topographic distribution of free 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) can be demonstrated in the human brain. As MHPG in the various brain areas shows a different pattern of concentration it seems that this metabolite of noradrenaline is of physiological significance and is able to reflect noradrenaline turnover. The highest values of free MHPG were found in the hypothalamus, n. accumbens, thalamus and n. ruber. 3. In a limited series of patients with Parkinson's disease post mortem analysis indicated lower values of MHPG in caudate n., putamen, s. nigra, red nucleus and n. accumbens. All other brain areas did not show significant alterations. 4. Parkinsonian patients who died during Madopar therapy demonstrated a significant increase of MHPG in caudate n., putamen, s. nigra, n. ruber, n. amygdalae and n. accumbens when compared to the untreated group, indicating an enhanced turnover of noradrenaline in these areas. 5. Bound MHPG has been estimated in various brain areas as to be in the range of 13--38 percent of free MHPG.
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