[Regulation by histamine H3 receptors of neurotransmitter release in the basal ganglia: implications for Parkinson's disease pathophysiology].

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder that results primarily from the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. However, other neurotransmitter systems (noradrenergic,cholinergic and serotoninergic) are also involved in the disease. On the other hand, there is increasing evidence for a role of histamine as a neuromodulator in the mammalian central nervous system. Histamine-releasing neurons are exclusively located in the tuberomammilary nucleus of the hypothalamus, project to all major areas of the brain and participate in functions such as the regulation of sleep/wakefulness, locomotor activity, autonomic and vestibular functions, feeding and drinking, analgesia, learning and memory. In this work we review the pathophysiological characteristics of Parkinson's disease and the emerging information about alterations in histaminergic transmission reported for parkinsonian patients and animal models of the disease. In particular, we focus on the role of histamine H3 receptors, expressed at high density in the basal ganglia, in the normal function of these nuclei and their possible participation in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease.