Gender differences in cholinergic and dopaminergic deficits in Parkinson disease.

As Parkinson disease (PD) may affect men and women differentially, we investigated gender differences in regional projection system integrity in 148 PD subjects (36 women, 112 men) using monoaminergic [11C]dihydrotetrabenazine and acetylcholinesterase [11C]PMP positron emission tomography. After controlling for age, disease duration, and Hoehn and Yahr score, men showed 5.9% greater caudate dopaminergic denervation (p = 0.0018) and 5.8% greater neocortical cholinergic denervation (p = 0.0097). No significant gender differences were seen in putaminal dopaminergic or thalamic cholinergic denervation.