Synchronized Overproduction of Neurotransmitter Receptors in Diverse Regions of the Primate Cerebral Cortex

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1991-11, Vol.88 (22), p.10218-10221
• Main Authors: Lidow, Michael S., Goldman-Rakic, Patricia S., Rakic, Pasko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Animals; Autoradiography; Biological and medical sciences; Central nervous system; Central neurotransmission. Neuromudulation. Pathways and receptors; Cerebral cortex; Cerebral Cortex - growth & development; Cerebral Cortex - metabolism; Developmental biology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Iodine Radioisotopes; Kinetics; Ligands; Macaca mulatta; Motor ability; Motor Cortex - growth & development; Motor Cortex - metabolism; Neurotransmitter receptors; Organ Specificity; Overproduction; Primates; Product labeling; Receptors; Receptors, Neurotransmitter - metabolism; Synapses; Synapses - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Visual Cortex - growth & development; Visual Cortex - metabolism
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.88.22.10218

A remarkable diversity of neurotransmitter receptors develops concurrently in disparate areas of the primate cerebral cortex. The density of dopaminergic, adrenergic, serotonergic, cholinergic, and GABAergic receptors (where GABA is γ-aminobutyric acid) in rhesus monkey reaches a maximum level between 2 and 4 months of age and then declines gradually to adult levels in all layers of sensory, motor, and association regions. The synchronized development of neurotransmitter receptors in diverse layers and regions of the neocortex occurs pari passu with synaptogenesis, demonstrating unusual coordination of biochemical and structural maturation and supporting the hypothesis that the entire cerebral cortex matures as an integrated network, rather than as a system-by-system cascade.