Taurine Levels in Discrete Brain Nuclei of Rats |
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| Authors: | Miklós Palkovits István Elekes Tibor Láng rás Patthy |
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| Institution: | Institute for Drug Research, Budapest, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary;First Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary |
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| Abstract: | Concentrations of taurine have been measured in 44 microdissected rat brain nuclei or areas. Taurine is ubiquitously present and distributed unevenly in the rat brain: the ratio of the highest (pyriform cortex) to lowest (midbrain reticular formation) concentrations is 4.7:1. High taurine levels were found in cerebral cortical areas, caudate-putamen, cerebellum, median eminence, and supraoptic nucleus. Acute pain stress reduced taurine levels in the hypothalamus and the lower brainstem nuclei but not in cortical areas. Increased locomotor and behavioral activities following a high dose of amphetamine elevated taurine concentrations significantly in the substantia nigra and locus ceruleus. |
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| Keywords: | Taurine Rat brain nuclei Pain stress Amphetamine |
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