Mesostriatal dopamine markers in aged Long-Evans rats with sensorimotor impairment

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging 1995-03, Vol.16 (2), p.175-186
• Main Authors: Burwell, Rebecca D., Lawler, Cindy P., Gallagher, Michela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid - metabolism; Aging; Aging - metabolism; Aging - psychology; Animals; Autoradiography; Binding, Competitive - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D 1 receptors; D 2 receptors; Densitometry; Development. Senescence. Regeneration. Transplantation; Dopamine; Dopamine - metabolism; Dopamine - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Individual differences; Individuality; Kinetics; Male; Neostriatum - metabolism; Neostriatum - physiology; Patch/matrix; Rats; Reaction time; Reaction Time - physiology; Receptors, Dopamine D1 - drug effects; Receptors, Dopamine D1 - metabolism; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - drug effects; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - metabolism; Receptors, Opioid, mu - metabolism; Sensorimotor deficits; Striatum; Striosomes; Substantia nigra; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/0197-4580(94)00157-X

Changes in the mesostriatal dopamine system associated with normal aging are observed in both human and laboratory animals, but the specific behavioral consequences of these nonpathological changes are largely unexplored. The present study (a) assessed the effects of normal aging on markers for the mesostriatal dopamine system, and (b) examined the relationship of age-related changes in this system to decline in reaction time performance. Decreased levels of midbrain dopamine (DA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were observed in the aged rats as compared to young, but there was no evidence for age-related changes in the density of D 1 or D 2 receptor binding or the density of dopamine uptake sites. Some differences were observed when the aged rats were grouped according to reaction time performance. Aged RT-unimpaired rats exhibited higher density of D 1 binding in rostrodorsal striatal patch areas, but lower overall levels of DA. In caudal striatum, aged RT-unimpaired rats exhibited lower DA and higher DOPAC levels.