Statz M, Weber H, Weis F, Kober M, Bathel H, Plocksties F, van Rienen U, Timmermann D, Storch A, Fauser M. Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation induces functional deficits in norepinephrinergic neurotransmission in a Parkinson's disease model.
Brain Res 2024;
1841:149128. [PMID:
39053685 DOI:
10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149128]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is a successful treatment option in Parkinson's disease (PD) for different motor and non-motor symptoms, but has been linked to postoperative cognitive impairment.
AIM
Since both dopaminergic and norepinephrinergic neurotransmissions play important roles in symptom development, we analysed STN-DBS effects on dopamine and norepinephrine availability in different brain regions and morphological alterations of catecholaminergic neurons in the 6-hydroxydopamine PD rat model.
METHODS
We applied one week of continuous unilateral STN-DBS or sham stimulation, respectively, in groups of healthy and 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats to quantify dopamine and norepinephrine contents in the striatum, olfactory bulb and dentate gyrus. In addition, we analysed dopaminergic cell counts in the substantia nigra pars compacta and area tegmentalis ventralis and norepinephrinergic neurons in the locus coeruleus after one and six weeks of STN-DBS.
RESULTS
In 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned animals, one week of STN-DBS did not alter dopamine levels, while striatal norepinephrine levels were decreased. However, neither one nor six weeks of STN-DBS altered dopaminergic neuron numbers in the midbrain or norepinephrinergic neuron counts in the locus coeruleus. Dopaminergic fibre density in the dorsal and ventral striatum also remained unchanged after six weeks of STN-DBS. In healthy animals, one week of STN-DBS resulted in increased dopamine levels in the olfactory bulb and decreased contents in the dentate gyrus, but had no effects on norepinephrine availability.
CONCLUSIONS
STN-DBS modulates striatal norepinephrinergic neurotransmission in a PD rat model. Additional behavioural studies are required to investigate the functional impact of this finding.
Collapse