Transmitter synthesis increases in substantia nigra neurons of the aged mouse

Striatal dopamine concentrations are relatively well maintained with age despite extensive death of the nigrostriatal neurons whose terminals contain the dopamine. Counts of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in C57BL mice identified using immunocytochemistry, Fluoro-Gold retrograde axonal transport and Nissl staining were combined with measures of striatal dopamine and DOPA after saline, pargyline or NSD-1015 treatment. On average, 68% of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons died between ages 8 and 104 weeks and there was a 3-fold increase in dopamine synthesis per average neuron in the aged mice. Increased transmitter synthesis by surviving neurons may serve to compensate brain function in old age.