Interrelationship of the distribution of neuropeptides and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the human substantia nigra

Abstract

The relationship in the human substantia nigra of peptidergic fibers with intrinsic dopaminergic neurons was studied in adjacent coronal sections of the mesencephalon immunohistochemically stained for enkephalin (ENK), substance P (SP), and tyrosine (TH) hydroxylase immunoreactivity. TH-positive elements are present in the substantia nigra in at least two different arrangements: (1) a dorsal tier of rather loosely arranged neurons, which is continuous medially with the ventral tegmental area and laterally with the retrorubral area, (2) a ventral tier of more closely packed neurons, clusters of which frequently form finger-like extensions deep into the pars reticulata. This ventral region contains TH-positive dendrites extending ventrally into the pars reticulata. The distribution of ENK is mainly restricted to the medial half of the ventral aspect of the substantia nigra, while SP occupies its entire rostral-caudal and medial-lateral extents. Peptide-positive fibers vary in density from dense to light. There is very little overlap between the dorsal tier of the TH-positive neurons and the ENK or SP staining. The dorsal part of the peptide-immunoreactive area extensively overlaps with the TH-positive neurons of the ventral tier of cells. The ventral part of the peptide-positive area overlaps with the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra in which the TH-positive dendrites extend. The overlap between the neuropeptide fibers and the TH-positive cells of the ventral tier is not complete, with cells found both within and outside peptide-positive fiber networks. Three patterns of overlap emerge. In dorsal regions elongated cell clusters lie partially within and partially outside the dense peptide-positive fiber networks. In the ventral regions TH-positive cells are either completely embedded within peptide fibers or clusters of cells are present in peptide-free zones. These data suggest that specific peptidergic pathways differentially innervate the substantia nigra. TH cells which lie within or outside these fibers may reflect functionally different subsystems in the striatonigral pathways in the human.