Alteration of [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding in the post-ischaemic gerbil brain

To determine whether presynaptic sites are resistant to cerebral ischaemia, we investigated the postischaemic alteration in [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding as a sensitive marker of presynaptic cholinergic terminals in the gerbil brain between 1 h and 7 days after recirculation using receptor autoradiography. Transient ischaemia was induced for 10 min. [3H]hemicholinium-3 binding was unchanged in the frontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus throughout the recirculation periods. Our histological study revealed conspicuous neuronal damage in the frontal cortex, striatum, hippocampal CA1 sector and hippocampal CA3 sector after ischaemia. The present study demonstrates that presynaptic sites in selectively vulnerable areas can maintain their structural components although postsynaptic neurones are clearly degenerated. Thus our findings support the hypothesis that presynaptic sites are particularly resistant to ischaemia, but postsynaptic sites are vulnerable.