Systemic administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is toxic to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and produces a syndrome similar to Parkinson's disease. Conversion of MPTP to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP+) by monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) appears necessary for this neurotoxicity. When MPTP was used as the substrate for the histochemical localization of monoamine oxidase activity on sections of the rat brain, only a few specific sites were found in which MPTP oxidation to MPP+ occurs. These include the noradrenergic and serotoninergic neurons of the brainstem and the histamine neurons of the caudal hypothalamus. Dopamine neurons themselves do not display the capacity to oxidize MPTP. It is proposed that the conversion of MPTP to MPP+ occurs via MAO-B within serotonin and histamine neurons which may innervate the substantia nigra where the toxin MPP+ could be released and then taken up into the dopamine neurons.