Distribution of nicotinic receptors in human thalamus as visualized by3H- nicotine and3H-acetylcholine receptor autoradiography

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Abstract
Nicotinic cholinergic receptors in human thalamus were measured using (−)3H-nicotine (20 nM) and3H-acetylcholine (3H-ACh) (20 nM) as radioligands. The specific binding for3H-nicotine to homogenates of thalamus was 51.6±8.3 pmol/g protein and for3H-ACh 18.6±1.9pmol/g protein. Receptor autoradiography indicated a high labelling of both3H-Nicotine and3H-ACh in the antero-ventral nucleus of thalamus and dorso-medial nucleus of thalamus, while the labelling was lower in the postero-lateral nucleus of thalamus and in the postero-lateral ventral nucleus of thalamus. Quantitative measurement of the3H-nicotine autoradiograms showed highest labelling in the anteroventral nucleus of thalamus (17.34±0.76pmol/g tissue). This study indicates a heterogenous distribution of high-affinity nicotinic receptors in the human thalamus.