Ontogeny of glutamic acid decarboxylase, tyrosine hydroxylase, choline acetyltransferase, somatostatin and substance P in monkey cerebellum.

The enzyme activities of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and concentrations of substance P (SP) and somatostatin were determined in the cerebellum of macaque monkey (Macaca fuscata fuscata) at 3 different ages, embryonic 4 months, embryonic 5.5 months (full-term) and adult. Similar graded increases in the activities of GAD and TH were observed during development. In contrast, ChAT activity was relatively high at embryonic 4 months, increased about twofold between embryonic 4 months and 5.5 months, but did not change between embryonic 5.5 months and adult. These findings suggest that noradrenergic terminals develop synchronously with GABAergic interneurons. On the other hand, the innervation by ChAT-containing fibers is completed during the prenatal period. The concentrations of somatostatin and SP were high at embryonic 4 months, and decreased to, respectively, about 1/18 and 1/4 (expressed per g weight) in adult animals. Several interpretations of the decrease of the two neuropeptides in cerebellar tissue during ontogeny are discussed.