Corticoliberin, somatocrinin and amine contents in normal and parkinsonian human hypothalamus.

We have compared hypothalamic contents of various neurotransmitters (dopamine (DA), norepinephrine and serotonin) and their metabolites (dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid, homovanilic acid, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid) in post-mortem human controls and parkinsonian hypothalami. Neurotransmitters and their metabolites were measured in 0.1 N HCl hypothalami extracts using electrochemical detection after high performance liquid chromatography. Using specific radioimmunoassays we have also measured corticoliberin and somatocrinin contents in these hypothalami. Despite a 50% decrease of DA contents in parkinsonian hypothalami, no variations of corticoliberin and somatocrinin contents were found: 16.6 +/- 1.78 pg/mg tissue in Parkinson disease vs 16.71 +/- 1.89 in controls for human corticotropin-releasing factor (hCRF 1-41) and 37.38 +/- 11 vs 45.16 for human growth-hormone-releasing factor (hGRF 1-44).