Autoradiographic characterization of neurotensin receptors in the entorhinal cortex of schizophrenic patients and control subjects

S. S. Wolf, T. M. Hyde, R. C. Saunders, M. M. Herman, D. R. Weinberger, J. E. Kleinman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

Neurotensin, an endogenous peptide and putative neurotransmitter, exhibits a wide range of interactions with dopaminergic neurons and displays some actions akin to neuroleptics. Moreover, neurotensin receptors are abundant in specific layers of the entorhinal cortex where cytoarchitectural abnormalites have been reported in schizophrenia. We therefore examined the entorhinal cortex from postmortem specimens of five control patients and six schizophrenic patients for alterations in neurotensin receptor quantitation and distribution using receptor autoradiography. Specific125I-neurotensin binding was concentrated in layer II cell clusters, with a 40% reduction in binding in the schizophrenic group (p<0.05). Moderate binding was observed in both cohorts in deep layers V/VI, with negligible binding in the hippocampus. There was no statistical difference in quantitative neurotensin binding in other lamina of the entorhinal cortex of schizophrenics compared with controls. The characteristic laminar pattern of binding did not differ between cohorts. The reduction in neurotensin binding in schizophrenics is consistent with an increasing number of reports of structural abnormalities in the medial temporal lobe of schizophrenics in general and the entorhinal cortex in particular. Further studies are required to examine the evidence for neuroanatomic and neurochemical pathology in the entorhinal cortex.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)55-65
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Neural Transmission
Volume102
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1995
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Autoradiography
  • neurotensin
  • schizophrenia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Biological Psychiatry

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