Developmental Changes in [3H]Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ([3H]LSD) Binding to Serotonin Receptors in the Human Brainstem
Nataša Zec, James J. Filiano, Ashok Panigrahy, William F. White, Hannah C. Kinney
Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology 1996 DOI: 10.1097/00005072-199601000-00012 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Human brainstem tissue from fetuses, infants, and mature individuals |
| Topics | Serotonin LSD |
| Keywords | Brainstem Endocrinology Raphe nuclei 5-HT Receptor |
| Citations | 31 |
| Key findings | The highest levels of [3H]LSD binding to serotonergic receptors occurred prenatally throughout the brainstem, with a marked decline between midgestation and infancy in regions controlling cardiovascular function, respiration, and pain. |
Abstract
The ontogeny of serotonin receptors in the human brainstem is largely unknown, despite the putative roles of serotonin in neural development, synaptic transmission, brainstem modulation of vegetative functions, and clinical disorders of serotonergic function. This study provides baseline information about the quantitative distribution of [3H]LSD binding to serotonergic receptors (5-HT1A-1D, 5-HT2) in the human brainstem, from midgestation through maturity, with a focus upon early infancy. Brainstems were analyzed from 5 fetuses (19-25.5 weeks postconception), 5 infants (42-55.5 weeks postconception), and 3 mature individuals (4, 20, and 52 years). Tissue autoradiography was used with [3H]LSD for total serotonergic receptor binding and [3H]LSD and serotonin for nonspecific binding; computer-based quantitation was applied. The highest levels of [3H]LSD binding occurred prenatally throughout the brainstem. At all ages, the highest relative binding localized to the rostral raphe. A marked decline in [3H]LSD binding occurred between the midgestation and infancy in brainstem regions involved in control of cardiovascular function, respiration, and pain. The fetal peak in [3H]LSD binding to 5-HT receptors is consistent with a trophic role of serotonin in immature human brainstem, and a decrease, between midgestation and infancy, in serotonergic modulation of vegetative functions controlled by the brainstem.
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