Abstract
Background
This study investigated if changes in pre-synaptic markers on dopaminergic neurons
(dopamine transporter [DAT], tyrosine hydroxylase [TH]) were present in the caudate
from subjects with schizophrenia who had Δ9(−)tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their blood at autopsy. These changes were posited
because animal studies show that treatment with THC decreases dopamine uptake and
TH in the striatum.
Methods
Studies utilized caudate, obtained postmortem, from 14 schizophrenic and 14 control
subjects. [3H]mazindol binding to caudate, measured using autoradiography, was taken as a measure
of DAT; TH levels were estimated using an antihuman TH antibody and Western blotting.
Results
There was decreased [3H]mazindol binding to DAT in the caudate from the schizophrenic subjects with no detectable
blood THC levels (THC(−)) compared with THC(−) control subjects (mean ± SEM: 240 ±
19 vs. 296 ± 14 fmol/mg estimated tissue equivalents, p = .01). There were no significant differences between levels of DAT in the caudate
from schizophrenic and control subjects that had THC in their blood. Tyrosine hyroxylase
was not different in any diagnostic cohort.
Conclusions
Our data suggests that DAT is decreased in the caudate from THC(−) subjects with schizophrenia,
a change that may be reversed by ingesting THC from cannabis.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
July 14,
2002
Received in revised form:
May 31,
2002
Received:
March 20,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
