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. 1991 Apr 1;88(7):2721-5.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.7.2721.

Dopa decarboxylase activity of the living human brain

A Gjedde  1 , J Reith, S Dyve, G Léger, M Guttman, M Diksic, A Evans, H Kuwabara
Affiliations

Dopa decarboxylase activity of the living human brain

A Gjedde et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .

Abstract

Monoaminergic neurons use dopa decarboxylase (DDC; aromatic-L-amino-acid carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.28) to form dopamine from L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa). We measured regional dopa decarboxylase activity in brains of six healthy volunteers with 6-[18F]fluoro-L-dopa and positron emission tomography. We calculated the enzyme activity, relative to its Km, with a kinetic model that yielded the relative rate of conversion of 6-[18F]fluoro-L-dopa to [18F]fluorodopamine. Regional values of relative dopa decarboxylase activity ranged from nil in occipital cortex to 1.9 h-1 in caudate nucleus and putamen, in agreement with values obtained in vitro.

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