neuropeptide-y and cerebellin

To clarify the possible pathophysiological role of cerebellin in spinocerebellar degeneration, immunoreactive cerebellin was measured in the postmortem brain of 4 patients with spinocerebellar degeneration and 4 controls. Three other representative neuropeptides, corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), neuropeptide Y and somatostatin, were also measured. Significant decreases in the concentration of immunoreactive cerebellin and immunoreactive CRH were found in the cerebellar hemisphere in spinocerebellar degeneration, suggesting an important pathophysiological role of cerebellin and CRH in this group of diseases. No such decreases were found in neuropeptide Y or somatostatin.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Cerebellum; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neuropeptide Y; Radioimmunoassay; Somatostatin; Spinocerebellar Degenerations

Four neuropeptides; cerebellin, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), neuropeptide Y and somatostatin were studied by radioimmunoassay in the postmortem human brains obtained from three patients with olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) and one with Shy-Drager syndrome. Significant decreases in cerebellin and CRH concentrations were found in the cerebellar hemisphere of these diseases compared with controls. These findings suggest important pathophysiological roles of cerebellin and CRH in these cerebellar diseases. Such significant decreases were not found in neuropeptide Y and somatostatin.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Cerebellum; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Neuropeptide Y; Olivopontocerebellar Atrophies; Radioimmunoassay; Shy-Drager Syndrome; Somatostatin