Induction of NO-synthase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in neurons of human cerebellar cortex during chronic alcohol intoxication.

Induction of NO-synthase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase in Purkinje cells, basket-like neurons, and microvascular endothelium of human cerebellar cortex was detected in patients with chronic alcohol intoxication. It was hypothesized that the neuromodulating effect of NO is associated with mechanisms protecting neurons from toxic effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde.

Ethanol-oxidizing and NO-synthesizing enzymes in monoaminergic nuclei of human brain.

Serotonin-, dopamine-, and noradrenergic nuclei in human brainstem were examined histochemically for alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and NADPH diaphorase. The findings indicate that monoaminergic centers are characterized by different repertoire of NO-ergic and ethanol-oxidizing enzymes, whose distribution correlates with the transmitter specialization of neurons.

[Localization of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases in the human spinal cord and brain].

Location of aldehyde dehydrogenase (AldDG) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADG) has been studied in 38 nuclei of the human brain. Neurons with a high AldDG activity predominate in the nucleus of the descending root of the trigeminal nerve, motor nuclei of the craniocerebral nerves (trigeminal, facial, abducent, blocking, sublingual, supraspinal), motor nuclei of the anterior horns of the spinal cord, lateral vestibular nucleus, posterior nucleus of the vagus nerve, pedunculopontine nucleus, superior salivary nucleus, and in the nucleus of Westphal-Edinger-Jacobovich. Neurons with a moderate AldDG activity predominate in the superior olivary complex, nucleus of the lateral loop, parabrachial (pigmented) mesencephalic nucleus and reticular lateral nucleus.