Department of Neurology, University of Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
Hum Brain Mapp. 2010 Apr;31(4):550-5. doi: 10.1002/hbm.20886.
Animal and functional imaging studies had identified cortical structures such as the parieto-insular vestibular cortex, the retro-insular cortex, or the anterior cingulate cortex belonging to a vestibular cortical network. Basic animal studies revealed that endorphins might be important transmitters involved in cerebral vestibular processing. The aim of the present study was therefore to analyse whether the opioid system is involved in vestibular neurotransmission of humans or not. Changes in opioid receptor availability during caloric air stimulation of the right ear were studied with [(18)F] Fluoroethyl-diprenorphine ([(18)F]FEDPN) PET scans in 10 right-handed healthy volunteers and compared to a control condition. Decrease in receptor availability to [(18)F]FEDPN during vestibular stimulation in comparison to the control condition was significant at the right posterior insular cortex and the postcentral region indicating more endogenous opioidergic binding in these regions during stimulation. These data give evidence that the opioidergic system plays a role in the right hemispheric dominance of the vestibular cortical system in right-handers.
动物和功能影像学研究已经确定了一些皮质结构，如顶内-岛叶前庭皮质、岛后皮质或前扣带皮质，它们属于前庭皮质网络。基础动物研究表明，内啡肽可能是参与大脑前庭处理的重要递质。因此，本研究的目的是分析阿片系统是否参与人类的前庭神经传递。通过 10 名右利手健康志愿者的 [(18)F] 氟乙基-二苯壬酯 ([(18)F]FEDPN) PET 扫描，研究了右侧耳热气刺激期间阿片受体可用性的变化，并与对照条件进行了比较。与对照条件相比，在右侧岛后皮质和后中央区域 [(18)F]FEDPN 受体的可用性在刺激期间显著下降，表明这些区域在刺激期间存在更多的内源性阿片能结合。这些数据表明，阿片系统在右利手者的右侧半球前庭皮质系统的优势中起作用。
