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Serotonergic pathology is not widespread in Alzheimer patients without prominent aggressive symptoms

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Abstract

Behavioural symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, such as aggression, may determine the care patients required. Most postmortem neurochemical studies have been of institutionalized patients and conclusions drawn from these may not be valid for all patients. We have shown that serotonin 2 receptors are not lost from 12 of the 13 areas of cerebral cortex examined in the patients assessed to be free of aggressive symptoms. This has been interpreted as representing the relative preservation of cortical interneurones. In contrast choline acetyltransferase activity was reduced in all areas whereas serotonin content was reduced in only 2 of the 4 areas examined.

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Abbreviations

AD:

Alzheimer's disease

ChAT:

choline acetyltransferase activity

GABA:

gamma-amino butyric acid

5-HT:

serotonin

SLIR:

somatostatin-like immuno-reactivity

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Miriam Marks Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Neurollogy, 1, Wakefield Street, WC1N 1PJ, London

    Andrew W. Procter, Paul T. Francis, Gary C. Stratmann & David M. Bowen

  2. Department of Psychiatry, UMDS-Guy's Hospital, SE1 9RT, London

    Andrew W. Procter

Authors
  1. Andrew W. Procter
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  2. Paul T. Francis
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  3. Gary C. Stratmann
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  4. David M. Bowen
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Special issue dedicated to Dr. Alan N. Davison.

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Procter, A.W., Francis, P.T., Stratmann, G.C. et al. Serotonergic pathology is not widespread in Alzheimer patients without prominent aggressive symptoms. Neurochem Res 17, 917–922 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00993268

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