Hypertension-induced changes in monoamine receptors in the prefrontal cortex of rhesus monkeys

• Published in: Neuroscience 2003-01, Vol.120 (1), p.177-189
• Main Authors: Moore, T.L, Killiany, R.J, Rosene, D.L, Prusty, S, Hollander, W, Moss, M.B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; cerebrovascular disease; dopamine; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Experimental diseases; hypertension; Hypertension - metabolism; Macaca mulatta; Male; Medical sciences; Membrane Glycoproteins; Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Nerve Tissue Proteins; norepinephrine; Norepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; prefrontal cortex; Prefrontal Cortex - metabolism; Protein Binding - physiology; Receptors, Adrenergic - metabolism; Receptors, Dopamine - metabolism; rhesus monkey; Symporters - metabolism
• ISSN: 0306-4522; 1873-7544
• DOI: 10.1016/S0306-4522(03)00242-2

Hypertension affects approximately 60 million people in the United States. Recent studies have demonstrated that hypertension may produce progressive changes in the CNS. The present study is focused on reports in the literature that hypertension may significantly alter neurotransmitter systems, particularly dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE). To address this, DA and norepinephrine (NE) receptor binding was assessed in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of 15 male rhesus monkeys using on-the-slide in vitro assays for the DA1, NE α1 and NE α2 receptors as well as for the DA and NE uptake transporters. Eight monkeys underwent surgical coarctation of the mid-thoracic aorta which produced sustained, untreated hypertension as defined by a systolic pressure above 150 mm Hg. Compared with normotensive controls, chronic, untreated hypertension produced a significant decrease in DA1 and NE α1 receptor binding and an increase in DA uptake (DAU) receptor binding in the prefrontal cortex. While the mechanisms by which untreated hypertension alters DA and NE receptors is not known, the use of this non-human primate model should provide the means to uncover neurobiological changes that occur with untreated hypertension.