Regional Distribution and Production Rate of 3-Methoxy-4-Hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol Sulphate (MHPG-SO4) in Rat Brain

The levels of noradrenaline (NA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphen-ylethyleneglycol sulphate (MHPG-SO₄) in 15 brain regions showed a parallel distribution in male Wistar rats. The differences in regional distribution of MHPG-SO₄ were similar to those in the rate of NA turnover reported by other investigators. The accumulation rates of MHPG-SO₄ during 45 and 90 min after probenecid injection significantly correlated to the steady state levels of MHPG-SO₄ in nine regions studied. With the results, the regional levels of MHPG-SO, either in untreated or in probenecid-treated rats, are considered to be a useful index of NA turnover.     

Naloxene enhances stress-induced increases in noradrenaline turnover in specific brain regions in rats

Male Wistar rats were injected subcutaneously with either saline or naloxone, 1 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg, 10 min before exposure to 1-hour immobilization-stress. Control animals were sacrificed 70 min after respective injections. Levels of noradrenaline (NA) and its major metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol sulfate (MHPG-SO₄) in seven discrete brain regions and plasma corticosterone levels were fluorometrically determined. Immobilization stress caused significant elevations of plasma corticosterone which were not affected by pretreatment with naloxone. In the hypothalamus, amygdala and thalamus, immobilization-stress caused significant elevations of MHPG-SO₄ levels, and naloxone at 5 mg/kg significantly enhanced these stress-induced elevations virtually without affecting the basal level of the metabolite. In contrast, in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and pons plus medulla oblongata, MHPG-SO₄ levels were elevated by stress, but were not affected by naloxone pretreatment. The effect of naloxone on stress-induced reductions of NA levels was unclear, since naloxone by itself (5 mg/kg) significantly decreased the amine levels in 5 of 7 brain regions examined. These results indirectly suggest that endogenous opioid peptides in the hypothalamus, amygdala and thalamus are partly involved in the stress process and attenuate increases in NA turnover induced by stress.     

Increase in norepinephrine turnover after tyrosine or DL-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (DL-threo-DOPS)

The amino acids tyrosine and DL-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (DL-threo-DOPS) were compared for their effectiveness in increasing central nervous system norepinephrine (NE) turnover in both saline and DSP-4 pretreated mice. NE was decreased significantly in cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, and only slightly in hypothalamus and brainstem two weeks after a single intraperitoneal injection of the neurotoxin DSP-4. Levels of the major NE metabolite, 3-methoxyl-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG), decreased in parallel in these five brain regions. Neither administration of tyrosine (250 mg/kg, as the ethyl ester, i.p.) nor DL-threo-DOPS (200 mg/kg, i.p.) affected regional NE concentration. However, after tyrosine administration, MHPG levels increased significantly in cortex in control mice and in cortex and hippocampus of DSP-4 pretreated mice. In all five brain noradrenergic regions MHPG level increased after DL-threo-DOPS administration and this increase was enhanced (approximately doubled) in DSP-4 pretreated mice. Thus, both amino acids may be useful as precursors of central NE when its level is depleted (e.g. following administration of DSP-4); DL-threo-DOPS producing a generalized increase in brain NE turnover, while increases following tyrosine are specific to those areas in which neuronal activity is increased i.e. cortex and hippocampus.     

Simultaneous determination of noradrenaline and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol sulfate in discrete brain regions of the rat

A fluorometric method for measuring both noradrenaline (NA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol sulfate (MHPG-SO₄) in the rat brain was studied. The MHPG-SO₄ assay was improved in regard to separation and sensitivity to the point where 2–3 ng of the compound can be detected. The simultaneous assay of NA and MHPG-SO₄ from the same sample was also attained by dividing the H₂SO₄ extract from the brain tissue into two portions. The method is so sensitive and accurate that it permits determination of both NA and MHPG-SO₄ in brain samples as small as the hypothalamus of the rat.     

Effects of acutely and chronically administered antidepressants on the brain regional 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol sulfate in the forced swimming rat

The reducing effect of desipramine (DMI) on the duration of immobility induced in rats by forced swimming was markedly potentiated after chronic injection of the lower dose, whereas the action of chronic amitriptyline (AMI) was similar to that of acute treatment. MHPG-SO₄ in most of the brain regions, particularly that in the septal area, was increased by the forced swimming. Unlike the effect in the normal rats, acutely administered AMI and DMI did not reduce MHPG-SO₄ in the brain regions other than the septal area in the forced swimming rats. Similar to the effect in the normal rats, chronic treatment with DMI increased MHPG-SO₄ in the cortex, hippocampus and the thalamus in the forced swimming rats. In these rats, MHPG-SO₄ in the septal area was still lowered by both drugs. These results indicate that 1) inhibitory effect of acutely administered AMI and DMI on the presynaptic noradrenergic neurons disappears in most of the brain regions after the forced swimming, 2) chronic treatment with DMI increases the noradrenergic activity in the cortex, hippocampus and thalamus and 3) both acute and chronic treatments with the drugs inhibit the forced swimming-induced increase in noradrenergic activity in the septal area. The relevance of these effects to the behavioral action of the drugs is discussed.     

Differential effects of long-term hypoxia on norepinephrine turnover in brain stem cell groups.

The influence of long-term hypoxia on noradrenergic cell groups in the brain stem was assessed by estimating the changes in norepinephrine (NE) turnover in A1, A2 (subdivided into anterior and posterior parts), A5, and A6 groups in rats exposed to hypoxia (10% O2-90% N2) for 14 days. The NE turnover was decreased in A5 and A6 groups but failed to change significantly in A1. The NE turnover was increased in the posterior part of A2 and remained unaltered in the anterior part. In normoxic rats, the hypotensive drug dihydralazine induced a reverse effect, namely increased NE turnover in anterior A2 and no change in posterior A2. The neurochemical responses to hypoxia were abolished by transection of carotid sinus nerves. The results show that long-term hypoxia exerts differential effects on the noradrenergic cell groups located in the brain stem. Peripheral chemosensory inputs control the hypoxia-induced noradrenergic alterations. The A2 cell group displays a functional subdivision: the posterior part is influenced by peripheral chemosensory inputs, whereas the anterior part may be concerned with barosensitivity.     

Dietary tyrosine suppresses the rise in plasma corticosterone following acute stress in rats

Acute, uncontrollable stress increases norepinephrine (NE) turnover in the rat's brain (depleting NE) and diminishes the animal's subsequent tendency to explore a novel environment. Pre-treatment with tyrosine can reverse these adverse effects of stress, presumably by preventing the depletion of NE in the hypothalamus. Numerous studies suggest that NE inhibits the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) by suppressing corticotropic releasing factor (CRF) secretion in the hypothalamus. In the present study, we found that pre-treatment with supplemental tyrosine not only prevented the behavioral depression and hypothalamic NE depletion observed after an acute stress, but also suppressed the rise in plasma corticosterone. These results support a role for brain NE in stress-induced corticosterone secretion and demonstrate that supplemental tyrosine can protect against several adverse consequences of such stress.     

Stress-induced depression of motor activity correlates with regional changes in brain norepinephrine but not in dopamine

This experiment examined how inescapable tail shock alters the level of dopamine and norepinephrine within various brain regions of the rat and the relationship of these changes to the depression of motor activity produced by the shock. Following exposure to tail shock that is known to interfere with acquisition of active behavioral tasks, animals were briefly tested for spontaneous motor activity and then sacrificed for neurochemical measures. Norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the frontal cortex, brain stem, striatum, olfactory tubercle, hypothalamus, hippocampus, septum, and amygdala were measured by a sensitive radicenzymatic technique. Exposure to 45 min of tail shock did not alter motor activity significantly, but shock sessions of 60 and 75 min duration produced a marked decrease in motor activity. Levels of dopamine were found to be very little changed in all brain regions studied except for the hypothalamus, in which a substantial rise in dopamine level was observed. Norepinephrine levels, in contrast, fell in many brain regions in response to shock. The fall in norepinephrine levels observed in twi brain regions was significantly correlated with the decline in motor activity (brain stemr=+0.70, hypothalamusr=+0.60) These data suggest that deficits in active motor behavior produced by shock parameters similar to those used in this study may reflect concomitant disturbances of noradrenergic function in specific brain regions.     

Toxicology of planarians

Potential advantages of using planarians such as Dugesia dorotocephala (Woodworth) to assay a number of different kinds of toxic effects are illustrated by our experiments on neurotoxicity of nicotine, developmental neurotoxicity and behavioral teratogenesis of methylmercuric chloride (MMC), and carcinogenesis of Cd and tetradecanoyl-phorbol-acetate (TPA). Various concentrations of nicotine in the culture water in which planarians were maintained produced acute neurotoxic effects, evident as disturbances in locomotor and fissioning behavior; planarians also acquired tolerance to nicotine. Behavioral teratogenesis in planarians is illustrated by the effect of subteratogenic concentrations of MMC on regeneration of the brain and behavior of decapitated specimens. Despite normal appearance of heads and brains of MMC-treated regenerates, significant deficits were noted in righting response, locomotion, and prey-catching behavior. EM observations revealed quantitative deficits in brain synapses of MMC-treated regenerates. Exposure to the carcinogens Cd and TPA produced a single kind of neoplastic tumor, a malignant reticuloma, in 76% of specimens treated jointly with sublethal concentrations of both chemicals. Toxicological responses of planarians can be compared to those of vertebrates.     

Norepinephrine Turnover in the Hypothalamus of Adult Male Rats: Alteration of Circadian Patterns by Semistarvation

Norepinephrine (NE) turnover, as estimated by 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol concentration, was studied in the mediobasal hypothalamus of control and semistarved adult male rats at eight time points of a 24-h period. The marked circadian periodicity of NE turnover with a peak in the dark phase in control rats is completely suppressed in semistarved rats. The average 24-h concentration of the NE precursor tyrosine in brain and of tyrosine flow into brain (calculated from plasma amino acid concentrations) is reduced in semistarved rats, but both brain tyrosine and tyrosine flow show continuing circadian fluctuations.     

用适应性实验对ICR、BALB/c和C57BL/6小鼠探索行为及记忆能力的评价

用洞板仪和旷场行为红外线检测系统对远交群ICR小鼠、近交系BALB/c小鼠和近交系C57BL/6小鼠的探洞、直立和跨格行为进行了测试,并通过适应性实验比较了它们的探索行为和记忆能力。研究发现:在各项试验中,ICR小鼠表现出最强的探索能力,而C57BL/6小鼠的探索能力最差;ICR小鼠还表现出比另外两个品系小鼠更强的对新环境的适应性,其记忆也明显优于C57BL/6小鼠。实验结果提示:小鼠探洞行为的适应性实验可以用来测试小鼠的记忆能力,而小鼠的直立行为在一定程度上也反映了其对周围环境、事物的探索和认知。这些结果为今后在研究小鼠神经生物学时的行为学指标选择问题提供了参考依据,同时也提示了在进行小鼠行为学实验时,根据不同研究目的选择不同品系的重要性。     

Aged endothelial nitric oxide synthase knockout mice exhibit higher mortality concomitant with impaired open-field habituation and alterations in forebrain neurotransmitter levels

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) has been implicated in various brain and peripheral pathologies such as renal failure, heart failure or stroke. Consequently, the mortality rate of aged eNOS knockout mice (eNOS^–/–) was higher than that of age-matched (18–22 months old) controls. Only seven of the original 14 eNOS^–/– animals that participated in the study reached the age of 18 months or older, whereas no control mice died during this life span. In order to assess the behavioral and neurochemical consequences of chronic eNOS deficiency we examined whether the surviving aged eNOS^–/– mice showed changes in terms of motor, emotional, exploratory and neurochemical parameters. Aged eNOS^–/– mice showed reduced exploratory activity in the open-field with no habituation observable neither within sessions nor after repeated exposures. Pole test performance of eNOS^–/– mice was comparable to controls. In the elevated plus-maze eNOS^–/– mice did not differ from controls in terms of time spent in and entries into arms, but showed less locomotion on the open arms. The most prominent neurochemical alterations in the forebrains of aged eNOS^–/– mice were: (a) increased acetylcholine levels in the neostriatum; (b) decreased noradrenaline concentrations in the ventral striatum; and (c) lower serotonin levels in the frontal cortex and ventral striatum. The present findings suggest that mice which survived chronic eNOS-deficiency into old age, show some behavioral and neurochemical phenotypes distinct from adult eNOS^–/– mice.     

Neurochemical asymmetries in the albino rat's cortex, striatum, and nucleus accumbens

The concentrations of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT), dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were measured in the right and left cortex, striatum, and nucleus accumbens of adult Purdue-Wistar rats. There was more DA in the right cortex and accumbens and a greater concentration of NE in the left striatum. There is more 5-HT in the left striatum and right accumbens, more 5-HIAA in the left cortex, as well as a greater 5-HT turnover in the left accumbens. These results are considered in the light of previous findings concerning the relationship of neurochemical asymmetries and behavioral lateralization.     

Norepinephrine turnover in peripheral tissues of rats with heart failure

Experiments were performed to determine if there is regional heterogeneity in sympathetic neural activation of peripheral tissues in rats with chronic heart failure (HF; 6-8 wk after coronary artery ligation). Norepinephrine (NE) turnover, an index of sympathetic activation, was determined on the basis of the decline in tissue NE levels that occurs during the 8-h after tyrosine hydroxylase inhibition (alpha-methyl-DL-p-tyrosine, 300 mg/kg ip at 4-h intervals). Compared with sham-operated rats, NE turnover was increased in the cardiac left ventricle, skeletal muscle, duodenum, and kidney of rats with HF, but was unaltered in liver and spleen. The increased renal NE turnover in HF was largely a reflection of increased turnover in the cortex, with no change evident in the medulla. Blockade of sympathetic ganglionic traffic (hexamethonium, 2 mg/kg sc at 2-h intervals) eliminated the tissue-specific effects of HF on tissue NE levels measured 8-h after tyrosine hydroxylase inhibition. These data support the contention that chronic HF evokes a central nervous system-mediated increase in basal sympathetic tone that exhibits regional heterogeneity (both between and within organs), a phenomenon that likely contributes to the functional consequences of this pathophysiological state.     

Significance of glutamate and dopamine neurons in the ventral pallidum in the expression of behavioral sensitization to amphetamine

To explore the significance of ventral pallidum (VP) during the amphetamine sensitization, we first investigated if there are neurochemical alterations in the VP during amphetamine withdrawal period. Chronic amphetamine-treated (5 mg/kg x 14 days) rats displayed an apparent locomotion sensitization as compared with saline controls when challenged with 2 mg/kg amphetamine at withdrawal days 10-14. A microdialysis analysis revealed that output of the dopamine metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid, in the VP of amphetamine-sensitized rats increased approximately two-fold as compared to controls at both pre- and post-amphetamine challenge period. On the other hand, the in vivo glutamate output in the VP increased upon amphetamine challenge in the behaviorally sensitized rats, but not in the controls. To evaluate if drug manipulation in the VP would affect the behavioral sensitization, we treated both groups of rats with NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801 (5 microg/microl for 5 days; bilateral) in the VP during withdrawal days 6-10. Animals were challenged with 2 mg/kg amphetamine at withdrawal day 11. The behavioral profile exhibited that MK-801 pre-treatment significantly blocked the locomotion hyperactivity in amphetamine-sensitized rats. Taken together, the current results suggest that the excitatory amino acid in the VP plays a significant role during the expression of behavioral sensitization to amphetamine.     

Effect of aging on monoamines and their metabolites in the rat brain

Concentrations of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and their acid merabolites were assayed in specific brain areas of Wistar rats of various ages. DA and its metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were significantly lower in striatum and mesolimbic areas of old (24 mos) rats than young adult (3 mos), but not mature (12 mos) rats. The decrease of homovanillic acid (HVA) was significant in mesolimbic areas but not in striatum. Neither cortical NE nor its metabolite methoxydroxyphenylglycol sulphate (MHPG-SO₄) were significantly changed by aging. 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the brainstem showed a tendency to a decrease and increase respectively in aged animals compared with young adults, but the differences were not statistically significant. However, the ratio of 5-HIAA to 5-HT concentrations was significantly higher in aged animals. The conclusion can be drawn that, in these brain areas, DA is more vulnerable to aging than NE and 5-HT, the metabolism of the latter being even enhanced.     

Genotype differences in catecholamine concentrations in hypothalamus,intramedial hyperstriatum ventrale,and optic tectum of newly hatched chicks

This study was designed to compare catecholamine concentrations among three brain areas of four pureline populations of visually isolated chicks. The purelines used were a commercial male line, a fertility selected line, an unselected fertility control line, and unselected White Jersey Giants. In general, male chicks had significantly larger brain weights than females. Six catecholamine-related compounds (norepinephrine, epinephrine,l-DOPA, dopamine, DOPAC, and MHPG) were measured via HPLC-ECD. No significant differences in neurochemical concentration were observed for any line or brain area due to sex of the chick. The hypothalamus (HT) contained the greatest concentration of catecholamines in all lines, followed by the intramedial hyperstriatum ventrale (IMHV) and optic tectum (OT). The HT exhibited consistent lateralization in all lines with the right HT containing ca. 30% more catecholamines than the left HT. While no consistent lateralization was observed among the other brain areas, the IMHV exhibited significantly different degrees of lateralization among the populations. Neuronal activity, as measured by MHPG:NE and DOPAC:DA ratio varied by line within each brain area. There were line differences for MHPG:NE in the HT, IMHV, and OT, while line differences for DOPAC:DA were observed in the HT. Since differences among purelines have been demonstrated in this study, care must be given to precisely define the genotype of chicks used in behavioral and neurochemical research.     

Abnormal Neural Responses to Emotional Stimuli but Not Go/NoGo and Stroop Tasks in Adults with a History of Childhood Nocturnal Enuresis

Background

Nocturnal enuresis (NE) is a common disorder in school-aged children. Previous studies have reported that children with NE exhibit structural, functional and neurochemical abnormalities in the brain, suggesting that children with NE may have cognitive problems. Additionally, children with NE have been shown to process emotions differently from control children. In fact, most cases of NE resolve with age. However, adults who had experienced NE during childhood may still have potential cognitive or emotion problems, and this possibility has not been thoroughly investigated.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this work, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate brain functional changes in adults with a history of NE. Two groups, consisting of 21 adults with NE and 21 healthy controls, were scanned using fMRI. We did not observe a significant abnormality in activation during the Go/NoGo and Stroop tasks in adults with a history of NE compared with the control group. However, compared to healthy subjects, young adults with a history of NE mainly showed increased activation in the bilateral temporoparietal junctions, bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and bilateral anterior cingulate cortex while looking at negative vs. neutral pictures.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results demonstrate that adults with a history of childhood NE have no obvious deficit in response inhibition or cognitive control but showed abnormal neural responses to emotional stimuli.     

THE EFFECT OF LIMB ISCHAEMIA ON THE TURNOVER OF NORADRENALINE IN THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND BRAIN STEM OF THE RAT

The effect of ischaemic limb injury on the turnover of noradrenaline in the hypothalamus and brain stem has been studied in rats. There are theoretical reasons for thinking that these regions are activated in trauma and previous work showed that during limb-ischaemia the concentration of noradrenaline in the hypothalamus decreased by 27 per cent. The tourniquets were applied to both hind-limbs 1 h after the injection of [¹⁴C]-tyrosine when the labelling of the noradrenaline was maximal. During 4 h limb ischaemia the endogenous tyrosine concentration in the plasma decreased while that in the hypothalamus first rose and then fell. Changes in a similar direction in the brain stem were not statistically significant. Limb ischaemia did not affect the decline in the specific activity of the plasma or tissue tyrosine. It was concluded that the injury increased the utilization of tyrosine by the body. During the 4 h bilateral hind-limb ischaemia the rate of decline of [¹⁴C]noradrenaline was significantly increased in the brain stem but not in the hypothalamus. Conditions in the brain stem were sufficiently close to ‘steady-state’ to be able to conclude that the injury increased the metabolism of noradrenaline in the brain stem. Conditions in the hypothalamus were too complicated for definite conclusions to be drawn. The possible reasons for this and the limitations of this method for studying noradrenaline turnover are discussed.     

SELECTIVE INCREASE OF BRAIN DOPAMINE SYNTHESIS BY SULPIRIDE

—Sulpiride (5–200 mg/kg) increases brain HVA and DOPAC levels, causes no change in dopamine concentration, does not interfere with the outflow of HVA from the CNS and enhances the disappearance of brain dopamine after inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase. The compound influences neither 5-HT nor NE metabolism. The central action of sulpiride differs from that of classic neuroleptics in that this drug stimulates dopamine turnover without producing catalepsy.