The pattern of neurodegeneration in Huntington’s disease: a comparative study of cannabinoid, dopamine, adenosine and GABAa receptor alterations in the human basal ganglia in Huntington’s disease

In order to investigate the sequence and pattern of neurodegeneration in Huntington’s disease, the distribution and density of cannabinoid CB1, dopamine D1 and D2, adenosine A2a and GABAA receptor changes were studied in the basal ganglia in early (grade 0), intermediate (grades 1, 2) and advanced (grade 3) neuropathological grades of Huntington’s disease. The results showed a sequential pattern of receptor changes in the basal ganglia with increasing neuropathological grades of Huntington’s disease. First, the very early stages of the disease (grade 0) were characterized by a major loss of cannabinoid CB1, dopamine D2 and adenosine A2a receptor binding in the caudate nucleus, putamen...