Opiate receptor avidity in the thalamus is sexually dimorphic in the elderly

Synapse. 2000 Nov;38(2):226-9. doi: 10.1002/1098-2396(200011)38:2<226::AID-SYN13>3.0.CO;2-#.

Abstract

Opiate receptor avidity (B(')(max)/K(D)), was measured in the subcortex of nine females (five healthy subjects, four Alzheimer patients) and 15 males (seven healthy subjects, eight Alzheimer patients), 51-75 years of age, with the opiate receptor antagonist 6-deoxy-6-beta-[(18)F]fluoronaltrexone (cyclofoxy, CF) and a positron emission tomograph. CF avidity was 27.5% less in the thalamus of healthy women compared to healthy men and 48.5% less in Alzheimer disease female patients compared to male patients.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Naltrexone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Naltrexone / metabolism
  • Receptors, Opioid / metabolism*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Sex Factors
  • Thalamus / diagnostic imaging
  • Thalamus / metabolism*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed

Substances

  • Receptors, Opioid
  • Naltrexone
  • 6-deoxy-6-fluoronaltrexone