Normal Striatal Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter Expression in Tourette Syndrome

eNeuro. 2017 Aug 7;4(4):ENEURO.0178-17.2017. doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0178-17.2017. eCollection 2017 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Considerable prior work suggests basal ganglia dysfunction in Tourette syndrome (TS). Analysis of a small number of postmortem specimens suggests deficits of some striatal interneuron populations, including striatal cholinergic interneurons. To assess the integrity of striatal cholinergic interneurons in TS, we used [18F]FEOBV positron emission tomography (PET) to quantify striatal vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) expression, a measure of cholinergic terminal density, in human TS and control subjects. We found no evidence of striatal cholinergic deficits. Discrepant imaging and postmortem analysis results may reflect agonal or postmortem changes, medication effects, or significant disease heterogeneity.

Keywords: Acetylcholine; Striatum; Tourette Syndrome; VChAT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping
  • Corpus Striatum / diagnostic imaging
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Rest
  • Tourette Syndrome / diagnostic imaging
  • Tourette Syndrome / metabolism*
  • Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins