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CANINE NARCOLEPSY IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN ELEVATED NUMBER OF ALPHA-2-RECEPTORS IN THE LOCUS COERULEUS BRAIN RESEARCH Fruhstorfer, B., Mignot, E., Bowersox, S., Nishino, S., Dement, W. C., Guilleminault, C. 1989; 500 (1-2): 209-214

Abstract

alpha 2-Receptors in the canine brain were pharmacologically characterized using [3H]yohimbine binding. Competition studies revealed a single class of binding sites in frontal cortex but two distinct subtypes in nucleus caudatus. The role of central alpha 2-receptors in narcolepsy was investigated in 5 normal and 5 narcoleptic Doberman pinschers. Scatchard analysis of [3H]yohimbine binding in different brain areas revealed an increase in the number of alpha 2-binding sites limited to the locus coeruleus. This suggests that altered autoinhibition of norepinephrine release may be associated with the narcoleptic symptomatology.

View details for Web of Science ID A1989AX91400023

View details for PubMedID 2557958