MDS Abstracts

Abstracts from the International Congress of Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders.

MENU 
  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2024 International Congress
    • 2023 International Congress
    • 2022 International Congress
    • MDS Virtual Congress 2021
    • MDS Virtual Congress 2020
    • 2019 International Congress
    • 2018 International Congress
    • 2017 International Congress
    • 2016 International Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
  • Advanced Search

Upregulated vascular endothelial nitric oxide synthase in Parkinson’s disease cases that have received subthalamic stimulation: A post-mortem evaluation

C. Mantanona, L. Hodgson, J.L. Elson, I.S. Pienaar (Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom)

Meeting: 2016 International Congress

Abstract Number: 41

Keywords: Deep brain stimulation (DBS), Subthalamic nucleus(SIN)

Session Information

Date: Monday, June 20, 2016

Session Title: Surgical therapy: Parkinson's disease

Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm

Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2

Objective: Here we measured levels of vascular endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression as a result of high frequency (HF) Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) by analyzing STN vessels in Parkinson’s disease (PD) post-mortem brain tissue sections compared to neurological controls.

Background: STN-DBS is the favored surgical treatment for advanced PD. However, the mechanisms for the clinical benefits remain unclear. We recently revealed that STN-DBS modifies the microvessels in the stimulated STN (Pienaar et al. (2015). Neurobiol. Dis. 74:392-405), with upregulated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) identified as a putative mechanism for the angiogenesis and neuroprotection seen in STN-DBS PD patients compared to non-DBS PD ones. VEGF improves cerebral blood flow through activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt pathway, which is known to regulate eNOS, which may have implications for neural plasticity (Son et al. (1996). Cell 87:1015-23).

Methods: Post-mortem STN-containing serial tissue sections were collected from neurological control and STN-DBS PD cases. We combined an eNOS-specific antibody stain with vascular endothelial cell staining (using glucose transporter (GLUT1) antibody). Stained sections were imaged as a z-stack of optical sections using laser-scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy. Maximum intensity projections and ImageJ software were used for fluorescence quantification with analysis restricted to the vascular endothelial cell layer. A distinction was made between macro- (venules and arterioles) and microvessels (capillaries), based upon lumen diameter.

Results: The endothelial cell layer of microvessels of stimulated PD cases showed enhanced eNOS expression (9,019 ± 3,441) compared to controls (7,822 ± 1,513), with similar results for macrovessels (9,510.44 ± 3,396, PD STN-DBS; 8,653 ± 2,596).

Conclusions: Nitrosative stress due to nitrogen species accumulation has been implicated in age-associated disorders. However, contrasting results showed a correlation between CNS plasticity and high nitrosative levels in the brain. The current data indicate that HF DBS may counter the vascular deficits seen in non-DBS PD reported in our earlier work, through upregulated eNOS produced in the vascular endothelial cells in the stimulated STN.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

C. Mantanona, L. Hodgson, J.L. Elson, I.S. Pienaar. Upregulated vascular endothelial nitric oxide synthase in Parkinson’s disease cases that have received subthalamic stimulation: A post-mortem evaluation [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/upregulated-vascular-endothelial-nitric-oxide-synthase-in-parkinsons-disease-cases-that-have-received-subthalamic-stimulation-a-post-mortem-evaluation/. Accessed May 24, 2025.
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2016 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/upregulated-vascular-endothelial-nitric-oxide-synthase-in-parkinsons-disease-cases-that-have-received-subthalamic-stimulation-a-post-mortem-evaluation/

Most Viewed Abstracts

  • This Week
  • This Month
  • All Time
  • Covid vaccine induced parkinsonism and cognitive dysfunction
  • An Apparent Cluster of Parkinson's Disease (PD) in a Golf Community
  • The hardest symptoms that bother patients with Parkinson's disease
  • Life expectancy with and without Parkinson’s disease in the general population
  • Patients with Essential Tremor Live Longer than their Relatives
  • Covid vaccine induced parkinsonism and cognitive dysfunction
  • What is the appropriate sleep position for Parkinson's disease patients with orthostatic hypotension in the morning?
  • An Apparent Cluster of Parkinson's Disease (PD) in a Golf Community
  • The hardest symptoms that bother patients with Parkinson's disease
  • Life expectancy with and without Parkinson’s disease in the general population
  • Effect of marijuana on Essential Tremor: A case report
  • Increased Risks of Botulinum Toxin Injection in Patients with Hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome: A Case Series
  • Covid vaccine induced parkinsonism and cognitive dysfunction
  • Estimation of the 2020 Global Population of Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
  • Patients with Essential Tremor Live Longer than their Relatives
  • Help & Support
  • About Us
  • Cookies & Privacy
  • Wiley Job Network
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Advertisers & Agents
Copyright © 2025 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. All Rights Reserved.
Wiley