Autoradiographic distribution of brainstem substance P binding sites in humans: ontogenic study and relation to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The precise distribution of substance P (SP) binding sites in the human brainstem was investigated in normal cases (3 fetuses and 24 new-borns) and in 9 cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by in vitro quantitative autoradiography. We discussed the widely but uneven distribution of SP binding sites as regards to the role of SP in brainstem cardio-respiratory ontogenic control and its possible involvement in SIDS.