Height and nigral neuron density in Parkinson’s disease

BACKGROUND: The dopaminergic system modulates growth hormone secretion and previous results have suggested a link between short stature and an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD). METHODS: In 36 Lewy body spectrum disease (LBD) cases (PD = 22) and 19 controls, nigral TH-positive neuron densities were measured postmortem from midbrain sections and corrected with the Abercrombie method. Body measurements were collected from autopsies or patient records. Our aim was to investigate the possible relationship between height and the density of neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). RESULTS: SNc neuron density (n/mm(2)) had an inverse association with height, (R(2) = 0.317, p < 0.0001) in patients. The association was not explained by weight, age, sex, brain weight, medication, or disease motor severity. The association was also separately observed in patients with PD (n = 22), but not in subjects who died without diagnosed neurological diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Individual adult height may be connected to nigral neuron numbers in patients with LBDs, including PD.