The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between dopaminergic neuron destruction and 5-HT system changes in a hemiparkinsonian rat model. We performed PET imaging studies with trans-[(18)F]Mefway in a hemiparkinsonian model of unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rats. Region-of-interests (ROIs) were drawn in the hippocampus (HP) and cerebellum (CB). HP uptake, the ratios of specific binding to non-specific binding in the HP, and non-displaceable binding potential (BPND) in the HP were compared between 6-OHDA and control rats. As a result, unilateral 6-OHDA-lesioned rats exhibited significant bilateral reduction of HP uptake and trans-[(18)F]Mefway BPND compared to the intact control group. Therefore, the results demonstrate that destruction of the dopaminergic system causes the reduction of the serotonergic system.
Keywords: 5-HT(1A) receptors; 6-hydroxydopamine; Hemiparkinsonian model; MicroPET; trans-[(18)F]Mefway.
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