Neuropeptide Y in human spinal cord.

The distribution of a newly described peptide, neuropeptide Y (NPY) within the human spinal cord has been determined using radioimmunoassay and immunocytochemistry. Higher concentrations were found in the lumbar (49.9 +/- 6.8 pmol/g) and sacral (47.0 +/- 10.6 pmol/g) regions than in the cervical (27.6 +/- 2.7 pmol/g) and thoracic spinal cord (33.8 +/- 5.3 pmol/g). Immunocytochemistry revealed numerous nerve fibers containing NPY in the spinal cord; these were particularly concentrated in the substantia gelatinosa of the dorsal horn. In the ventral spinal cord NPY-containing nerves were sparse becoming more abundant in lumbosacral segments.