| Research Abstract |
To investigate selsctive vulnerability of neurons in age-related neuronal death and its mechanisms, we studied changes with age in mRNA expression of a molecular chaperone (heat0shock cognate 70, hsc 70), neurtransmitter precursors (preprotechykinin and preproenkephalin), neurotransmitter receptors (dopamine D_1and D_<> receptrs), and receptor subunits (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits [nAChR] alpha4 and beta2 )in differing regions (cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and putamen) of human autopsy brains. The results suggest 1) that valnerability of neurons to aging is related to expression of hsc 70, and differs between neurons with differing neurotransmitters.and 2 ) that the magnitude of the reduction with age differs between receptor subtypes for a transmitter (e.g.D_1and D_2) and between receptor subunits (e.g.nAChR alpha4 and beta2) in differing regions.
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