| Literature DB >> 14598072 |
F di Michele1, P Longone, E Romeo, S Lucchetti, L Brusa, M Pierantozzi, A Bassi, G Bernardi, P Stanzione.
Abstract
The levels of the neuroactive steroids allopregnanolone (THP) and 5alpha-dihydroprogesterone (DHP) were quantified in the plasma of 11 (group 1) and in the liquor of 12 (group 2) Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using a gas-chromatographic/mass-spectrometric method. When compared with controls, both groups showed a significant decrease in DHP and THP concentrations. These decreases could be a useful marker of PD. Moreover, in view of the importance of GABA-ergic transmission to substantia nigra (SN) neurons and GABA-ergic modulation exerted by the two neuroactive steroids, our data indicate a global dysregulation of the SN GABA-ergic system in PD patients. Moreover, a lack of neuroprotective factors (i. e., GDNF, BDNF), promoted by DHP, may contribute to dopaminergic cell death.Entities:
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Year: 2003 PMID： 14598072 DOI： 10.1007/s10072-003-0115-1
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Neurol Sci ISSN： 1590-1874 Impact factor: 3.307