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M Iyo

Publications and source records attributed to M Iyo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Yohimbine increases the binding potential for [11C]flumazenil in the monkey brain.

We evaluated the impact of yohimbine administration on benzodiazepine (BDZ) receptor binding in the central nervous system of non-human primates (rhesus monkeys). Estimates of the binding potential (Bmax/Kd) of BDZ receptors were made following intravenous administration of yohimbine, an alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist. Positron emission tomography was used in conjunction with [11C]flumazenil (Ro 15-1788), a tracer for central BDZ receptor binding activity. The effects of yohimbine were compared with a control condition in which saline was administered. Yohimbine significantly increased the binding potential in the hippocampus, as assessed using a Student's t-test with Bonferroni correction. The result that the administration of yohimbine readily induces an increase in the binding potential for BDZ receptors in the primate brain suggests that the presence of an anxiety state potentiates the effect of anxiolytics.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

The effects of dentate granule cell destruction on behavioural activity and Fos protein expression induced by systemic methamphetamine in rats.

1. We destroyed dentate granule cells unilaterally or bilaterally by means of intrahippocampal injection of colchicine in rats. Subsequently, we observed behavioural changes following the intraperitoneal injection of 2 mg kg(-1) methamphetamine or saline, in addition to quantitatively assessing Fos protein expression in several brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, piriform cortex, dorsal striatum, and nucleus accumbens. 2. Bilaterally lesioned animals, when administered saline, showed a marked increase in locomotor activity compared with those of non-lesioned animals. With respect to the methamphetamine response, bilateral destruction resulted in a marked enhancement of locomotor activity, while the unilateral destruction led to a marked increase in rotation predominantly contralateral to the lesioned side, with no identifiable change in locomotor activity. 3. Bilaterally lesioned animals, when administered saline and having undergone an immunohistological examination, showed a marked increase in Fos expression in both sides of the nucleus accumbens. Bilaterally lesioned animals administered methamphetamine showed a marked increase in Fos expression in the right and left sides of all regions tested. Unilaterally lesioned animals administered methamphetamine showed a significant and bilateral enhancement in Fos expression in the medial prefrontal and cingulate cortices, and a marked and unilateral (ipsilateral to the lesioned side) enhancement of Fos protein in the piriform cortex, dorsal striatum, and nucleus accumbens. 4. The present findings suggest that dentate granule cells regulate methamphetamine-associated behavioural changes through the function of widespread areas of the brain, mostly the nucleus accumbens.

Animals↗

Positron emission tomographic measurement of brain acetylcholinesterase activity using N-[(11)C]methylpiperidin-4-yl acetate without arterial blood sampling: methodology of shape analysis and its diagnostic power for Alzheimer's disease.

N-[11C]methylpiperidin-4-yl acetate ([11C]MP4A) is a radiotracer that has been used successfully for the quantitative measurement of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the human brain with positron emission tomography (PET) using a standard compartment model analysis and a metabolite-corrected arterial input function. In the current study, the authors evaluated the applicability of a simple kinetic analysis without blood sampling, namely shape analysis. First, the authors used computer simulations to analyze factors that affect the precision and bias of shape analysis, then optimized the shape analysis procedure for [11C]MP4A. Before shape analysis execution, the later part of dynamic PET data except for the initial 3 minutes were smoothed by fitting to a bi-exponential function followed by linear interpolation of 8 data points between each of adjacent scan frames. Simulations showed that shape analysis yielded estimates of regional metabolic rates of [11C]MP4A by AChE (k3) with acceptable precision and bias in brain regions with low k3 values such as neocortex. Estimates in regions with higher k3 values became progressively more inaccurate. The authors then applied the method to [11C]MP4A PET data in 10 healthy subjects and 20 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). There was a highly significant linear correlation in regional k3 estimates between shape and compartment analyses (300 neocortical regions, [shape k3] = 0.93 x [NLS k3], r = 0.89, P < 0.001). Significant reductions in k3 estimates of frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, and sensorimotor cerebral cortices in patients with AD as compared with controls were observed when using shape analysis (P < 0.013, two-tailed t-test), although these reductions (17% to 20%) were somewhat less than those obtained by compartment analysis (22% to 27%). The sensitivity of shape analysis for detecting neocortical regions with abnormally low k3 in the 20 patients with AD (92 out of 200 regions, 46%) also was somewhat less than compartment analysis (136 out of 200 regions, 68%). However, taking its simplicity and noninvasiveness into account, the authors conclude that quantitative measurement of neocortical AChE activity with shape analysis and [11C]MP4A PET is practical and useful for clinical diagnosis of AD.

Acetates↗

Kinetic analysis of [(11)C]MP4A using a high-radioactivity brain region that represents an integrated input function for measurement of cerebral acetylcholinesterase activity without arterial blood sampling.

N -[(11)C]methylpiperidin-4-yl acetate ([(11)C]MP4A) is an acetylcholine analog. It has been used successfully for the quantitative measurement of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the human brain with positron emission tomography (PET). [(11)C]MP4A is specifically hydrolyzed by AChE in the brain to a hydrophilic metabolite, which is irreversibly trapped locally in the brain. The authors propose a new method of kinetic analysis of brain AChE activity by PET without arterial blood sampling, that is, reference tissue-based linear least squares (RLS) analysis. In this method, cerebellum or striatum is used as a reference tissue. These regions, because of their high AChE activity, act as a biologic integrator of plasma input function during PET scanning, when regional metabolic rates of [(11)C]MP4A through AChE (k(3); an AChE index) are calculated by using Blomqvist's linear least squares analysis. Computer simulation studies showed that RLS analysis yielded k(3) with almost the same accuracy as the standard nonlinear least squares (NLS) analysis in brain regions with low (such as neocortex and hippocampus) and moderately high (thalamus) k(3) values. The authors then applied these methods to [(11) C]MP4A PET data in 12 healthy subjects and 26 patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) using the cerebellum as the reference region. There was a highly significant linear correlation in regional k(3) estimates between RLS and NLS analyses (456 cerebral regions, [RLS k(3) ] = 0.98 x [NLS k(3) ], r = 0.92, P < 0.001). Significant reductions were observed in k(3) estimates of frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, and sensorimotor cerebral neocortices (P < 0.001, single-tailed t-test), and hippocampus (P = 0.012) in patients with AD as compared with controls when using RLS analysis. Mean reductions (19.6%) in these 6 regions by RLS were almost the same as those by NLS analysis (20.5%). The sensitivity of RLS analysis for detecting cortical regions with abnormally low k 3 in the 26 patients with AD (138 of 312 regions, 44%) was somewhat less than NLS analysis (52%), but was greater than shape analysis (33%), another method of [(11)C]MP4A kinetic analysis without blood sampling. The authors conclude that RLS analysis is practical and useful for routine analysis of clinical [(11)C]MP4A studies.

Acetates↗

Methamphetamine-related psychiatric symptoms and reduced brain dopamine transporters studied with PET.

OBJECTIVE: A positron emission tomography (PET) study has suggested that dopamine transporter density of the caudate/putamen is reduced in methamphetamine users. The authors measured nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex density, in addition to caudate/putamen density, in methamphetamine users and assessed the relation of these measures to the subjects' clinical characteristics. METHOD: PET and 2-beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-[(11)C] fluorophenyl)tropane, a dopamine transporter ligand, were used to measure dopamine transporter density in 11 male methamphetamine users and nine male comparison subjects who did not use methamphetamine. Psychiatric symptoms in methamphetamine users were evaluated by using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and applying a craving score. RESULTS: The dopamine transporter density in all three of the regions observed was significantly lower in the methamphetamine users than the comparison subjects. The severity of psychiatric symptoms was significantly correlated with the duration of methamphetamine use. The dopamine transporter reduction in the caudate/putamen and nucleus accumbens was significantly associated with the duration of methamphetamine use and closely related to the severity of persistent psychiatric symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that longer use of methamphetamine may cause more severe psychiatric symptoms and greater reduction of dopamine transporter density in the brain. They also show that the dopamine transporter reduction may be long-lasting, even if methamphetamine use ceases. Further, persistent psychiatric symptoms in methamphetamine users, including psychotic symptoms, may be attributable to the reduction of dopamine transporter density.

Adult↗

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy)-induced egr-1 mRNA in rat brain: pharmacological manipulation.

Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques, we examined the expression pattern of egr-1 mRNA and Egr-1 protein in several brain regions following administration of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Furthermore, we also studied the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, dopamine D(1) receptor, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter or 5-HT(2A) receptor in the induction of egr-1 mRNA by MDMA. Basal constitutive levels of egr-1 mRNA were detected in control rat brains. A single administration of MDMA (10 mg/kg) caused marked induction of egr-1 mRNA in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and hippocampal dentate gyrus. However, no changes in the egr-1 mRNA levels were detected in the CA1 region of hippocampus and occipital cortex after administration of MDMA (10 mg/kg). Furthermore, the expression of egr-1 mRNA in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and hippocampal dentate gyrus after administration of MDMA (10 mg/kg) was blocked significantly by pretreatment with NMDA receptor antagonist (5R, 10S)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,b]-cyclohepten-5, 10-imine ((+)-MK801; 1 mg/kg), dopamine D(1) receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (1 mg/kg) or 5-HT uptake inhibitor paroxetine (5 mg/kg), but not by 5-HT(2A) receptor antagonist SR46349B (5 mg/kg). However, high basal levels of Egr-1 immunoreactivity in the rat brain were not altered by administration of MDMA (10 mg/kg). These results suggest that MDMA alters the expression of egr-1 mRNA in several regions of rat brain, and that the expression of egr-1 mRNA by MDMA in the prefrontal cortex, striatum and hippocampal dentate gyrus appears to be mediated, at least in part, by NMDA receptor, dopamine D(1) receptor and 5-HT transporter.

Animals↗

Serotonin 5-HT2 receptors in schizophrenic patients studied by positron emission tomography.

Using positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]N-methylspiperone (NMSP), we examined 5-HT2 receptors in the cortex of schizophrenic patients in whom we previously observed decreased prefrontal D1 receptor binding. The subjects were 10 neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic patients, 7 schizophrenic patients who were drug-free but had previously been treated with neuroleptics, and 12 normal controls. A non-significant trend towards decreased prefrontal [11C]NMSP binding was observed in the neuroleptic-treated patients, suggesting a possible effect of previous neuroleptic treatment on the alteration in cortical 5-HT2 function. However, the neuroleptic-naive patients showed no noticeable difference in cortical [11C]NMSP binding compared to controls. Our results do not rule out the role of 5-HT2 function as a crucial site of therapeutic activity of schizophrenia, but they do suggest that cortical 5-HT2 receptors might not be primarily involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Adult↗

Increased expression of zif268 mRNA in rat retrosplenial cortex following administration of phencyclidine.

Phencyclidine (PCP) has been shown to cause neurotoxicity in rat retrosplenial cortex following a single administration, although the precise mechanism underlying PCP-induced neurotoxicity is unclear. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we studied the effects of PCP on expression of immediate early gene zif268 mRNA and zif268 protein in the rat brain. High constitutive levels of zif268 mRNA and zif268 immunoreactivity were observed in the brain of control rats. Administration of PCP (12.5, 25 or 50 mg/kg, i.p., 6 h) caused marked induction of zif268 mRNA in the rat retrosplenial cortex, in a dose-dependent manner. However, the basal levels of zif268 mRNA in the other regions of cerebral cortex were decreased by administration of PCP. Emulsion-autoradiographical study suggested that marked expression of zif268 mRNA was observed in the layers III and IV of retrosplenial cortex where the neurotoxicity of PCP was detected. Furthermore, zif268 immunoreactivity in the layer IV of retrosplenial cortex was not changed by administration of PCP (25 mg/kg, i.p., 5 h), but that in the other layers of retrosplenial cortex was reduced by PCP. These results suggest that immediate early gene zif268 may, in part, play a role in the neurotoxicity of NMDA receptor antagonists such as PCP.

Animals↗

Daily rhythm of serum melatonin levels and effect of light exposure in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have suggested that patients with dementia experience a deterioration of biological rhythms. We investigated the daily profile of serum melatonin levels in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (AD), since daily melatonin rhythm is thought to reflect the functioning of the biological clock. METHODS: Seventeen inpatients with AD, 10 psychiatric inpatients without dementia, and 11 elderly healthy volunteers participated in this study. Serum melatonin was assessed every 3 hours by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: A daily fluctuation of melatonin levels with a significant nocturnal increase was observed in all three subject groups. However, both the AD patients and psychiatric patients without dementia showed significantly higher levels of melatonin in the daytime compared with the healthy subjects. When the effect of bright light exposure on melatonin secretion was investigated in six AD patients and five psychiatric patients without dementia, the daytime levels were markedly decreased in the patients without dementia, while no change was observed in the AD patients. CONCLUSIONS: The high levels of melatonin in the daytime associated with a lack of response to light exposure in AD patients may be due to the neurodegenerative process of this disease.

Aged↗

Human cerebral acetylcholinesterase activity measured with positron emission tomography: procedure, normal values and effect of age.

The regional cerebral metabolic rate of [11C]N-methyl-4-piperidyl acetate, which is nearly proportional to regional cerebral acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, was measured by dynamic positron emission tomography in 20 healthy subjects with a wide age range (24-89 years). Quantitative measurement was achieved using a kinetic model which consisted of arterial plasma and cerebral tissue compartments. The plasma input function was obtained using thin-layer chromatography and an imaging phosphor plate system at frequent sampling intervals to catch the rapid metabolism of the tracer in the blood. The distribution of the rate constant k3, an index of AChE activity, agreed well with reported post-mortem AChE distribution in the cerebral cortex (0.067-0.097 min-1) and thalamus (0.268 min-1), where AChE activity was low to moderate. The k3 values in the striatum and cerebellum, where AChE activity was very high, did not respond linearly to AChE activity because of increased flow dependency. No significant effect of age was found on AChE activity of the cerebral cortex, suggesting that the ascending central cholinergic system is preserved in normal aging. This study has shown that quantitative measurement of enzyme activity in the living brain is possible through appropriate modelling of tracer kinetics and accurate measurement of the input function. The method should be applicable to patients with Alzheimer's disease and those with other kinds of dementia whose central cholinergic system has been reported to be disturbed.

Acetates↗

Alterations in binding site density of dopamine transporter in the striatum, orbitofrontal cortex, and amygdala in early Parkinson's disease: compartment analysis for beta-CFT binding with positron emission tomography.

We investigated changes in the kinetics in the binding of the dopamine transporter probe 2-beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-[11C]fluorophenyl)tropane (beta-CFT) in living brain by compartmental analysis, using positron emission tomography in unmedicated patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) (Hoehn and Yahr stages I-II). With dynamic positron emission tomographic data from 90-minute acquisitions and metabolite-corrected arterial input functions, binding potentials (k3/k4) were calculated by using estimated rate constants (K1 - k4). In this analysis, the magnitude of the distribution volume (K1/k2) measured in the cerebellum, in which specific binding is negligible, was used as a constrained value for fitting in binding regions. Statistics showed that k3/k4 values in the striatum, the orbitofrontal cortex, and the amygdala were significantly lower in PD patients than in normal controls, whereas there were no differences in K1/k2 ratios and structural volumes between the groups. Correlation analysis showed that the putaminal and orbitofrontal binding levels were correlated positively with motor and mentation scores, respectively, of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. These results indicated that not only the striatal but also the orbitofrontal and amygdalar presynaptic dopaminergic functions were altered in early PD. The reductions in these mesocortical/mesolimbic functions might contribute to the mental and behavioral impairment observed in PD.

Aged↗

Positron emission tomographic measurement of acetylcholinesterase activity reveals differential loss of ascending cholinergic systems in Parkinson's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy.

We measured brain acetylcholinesterase activity in 16 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), 12 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and 13 age-matched controls, using N-methyl-4-[11C]piperidyl acetate and positron emission tomography. Kinetic analysis was performed to calculate k3, an index of acetylcholinesterase activity. In PD patients, there was a significant reduction (-17%) of cerebral cortical k3 compared with normal controls, whereas there was only a nonsignificant reduction (-10%) of cortical k3 in PSP patients. However, there was a prominent reduction (-38%) of thalamic k3 in PSP patients compared with normal controls, whereas there was only a nonsignificant reduction (-13%) of thalamic k3 in PD patients. The results suggest that there is a loss of cholinergic innervation to the cerebral cortex in association with cholinergic innervation to the thalamus in PD, whereas there is a preferential loss of cholinergic innervation to the thalamus in PSP. When the thalamic to cerebral cortical k3 ratio was taken for each subject, PD and PSP were separated, suggesting that positron emission tomography measurement of acetylcholinesterase activity may be useful for differentiating the two similar disorders.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Behavioral changes and expression of heat shock protein hsp-70 mRNA, brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA, and cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA in rat brain following seizures induced by systemic administration of kainic acid.

Kainic acid-induced seizures in rats represent an established animal model for human temporal lobe epilepsy. However, it is well-known that behavioral responses to the systemic administration of kainic acid are inconsistent between animals. In this study, we examined the relationship between expression of genes, neuropathological damage, and behavioral changes (seizure intensity and body temperature) in rats after systemic administration of kainic acid. The considerable differences in the response to kainic acid-induced seizures were observed in rats after a single administration of kainic acid (12 mg/kg i.p.). There was no detection of the expression of heat shock protein hsp-70 mRNA and HSP-70 protein in brain of vehicle-treated controls and in animals exhibiting weak behavioral changes (stage 1-2). A moderate expression of hsp-70 mRNA was detected throughout all regions (the pyramidal cell layers of CA1-3 and dentate gyrus) of the hippocampus, the basolateral, lateral, central and medial amygdala, the piriform cortex, and the central medial thalamic nucleus of rats that developed moderate seizures (stage 3-4). Marked expression of hsp-70 mRNA was detected in the all regions (cingulate, parietal, somatosensory, insular, entorhinal, piriform cortices) of cerebral cortex and all regions of hippocampus, and the central medial thalamic nucleus of the rats that developed severe seizures (stage 4-5). In addition, marked HSP-70 immunoreactivity was detected in the pyramidal cell layers of CA1 and CA3 regions of hippocampus, all regions (cingulate, parietal, somatosensory, insular, piriform cortices) of cerebral cortex, and the striatum of rats that developed severe seizures (stage 4-5). Furthermore, a marked expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA levels by kainic acid-induced behavioral seizures (stage 3-4 or stage 4-5) was detected in all hippocampal pyramidal cell layers, granule layers of dentate gyrus, piriform cortex, neocortex, and amygdala. The present study suggest that the behavioral changes (seizure intensity and body temperature) and neuropathological damage after systemic administration of kainic acid are inconsistent between animals, and that these behavioral changes (severity of kainic acid-induced limbic seizures) might be correlated with gene expression of hsp-70 mRNA, COX-2 mRNA, and BDNF mRNA in rat brain.

Animals↗