Radioautographic identification of central monoaminergic neurons by local micro-instillation of tritiated serotonin or noradrenaline in cats]

Monoaminergic neurons in nuclei raphe dorsalis and locus coeruleus of the Cat may be visualized by radioautography after local micro-instillation of tritiated serotonin and noradrenaline. The concomitant administration of the appropriate tracer with the other biogenic amine in non radioactive form permits a specific identification of serotoninergic and catecholaminergic nerve cell bodies. A small contingent of presumptive serotoninergic neurons is thus demonstrated in the region of the locus coeruleus.     

Monoamine oxidase inhibition by d-amphetamine in ganglia and nerve endings

Summary The inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity by d-amphetamine was measured in homogenates of cat superior cervical ganglion and nictitating membrane, using tyramine (TM) and noradrenaline (NA) as substrates. In both tissues, d-amphetamine was shown to be a competitive inhibitor of the oxidation of TM. The Ki for d-amphetamine, as a MAO inhibitor, was lower in the ganglia than in the peripheral nerve endings.Supported by a Contract from the National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET) (Res. 67/79).     

Brain catecholamines and sleep states in offspring of caffeine-treated rats

Summary Caffeine was administered in the diet to rats throughout gestation. In the 2 consecutive untreated generations, an increase of parodoxical sleep was observed at maturity. In the 1st generation, the dopamine level was markedly reduced in the locus coeruleus, whereas that of noradrenaline remained constant. The effect was less pronounced in the 2nd generation.     

Colchicine may interfere with the axonal transport of noradrenaline in the central noradrenergic neurons

Summary The administration of colchicine (50 g) into the lateral ventricles induced the marked accumulation of noradrenaline in the locus coeruleus of rat. Lumicolchicine administration or stress loading failed to alter the noradrenaline levels, thus suggesting that this accumulation is related to the blockade of axonal flow in the central noradrenergic neurons.Acknowledgment. Authors thank Drs Y. Kakimoto and M. Miyake for their advice on the assay of catecholamines.     

Visualization of opiate receptors in the locus coeruleus of rats: high resolution radioautography after administration of a tritiated met-enkephalin analog]

Opiate receptor sites were visualized by high resolution radioautography in the locus coeruleus of the Rat following intraventricular injection of the met-enkephalin analogue FK 33-824 tritiated with a high specific activity (3H-FK). After administration of a tracer dose of 3H-FK, more than 75% of the radioactivity detected in the locus coeruleus is specifically bound to opiate receptor sites. These are distributed both between and inside neuronal perikarya. After administration of 3H-FK at high concentration, electron microscope radioautography shows the presence of specific opiate binding sites at the level of axo-somatic and axo-dendritic synaptic junctions. These synaptic binding sites could correspond to receptor sites for endogenous enkephalins.     

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and histamine metabolism

In rat, histamine metabolism is altered by some nonspecific inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAO) such as iproniazid, and, to a lesser extent, tranylcypromine. Type A MAO inhibitors, such as clorgyline and MD780515, do not seem to interfere with the metabolism of histamine. Deprenyl, a type B MAO inhibitor, shows some inhibition which is, however, much lower than that observed with iproniazid. The strong effect of iproniazid is probably due to its DAO inhibiting properties.     

Long-term depressor effects of noradrenaline and dopamine neurons transplanted into the third ventricle of the brain of salt-loaded hypertensive rats

Neural tissues including A 6 group noradrenaline neurons in the locus ceruleus or A 10 group dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra were transplanted into the third ventricle at the preoptic-anterior hypothalamic level of rats made hypertensive by salt loading. Either transplant exerted a long-lasting depressor effect.     

Long-term depressor effects of noradrenaline and dopamine neurons transplanted into the third ventricle of the brain of salt-loaded hypertensive rats

Summary Neural tissues including A 6 group noradrenaline neurons in the locus ceruleus or A 10 group dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra were transplanted into the third ventricle at the preoptic-anterior hypothalamic level of rats made hypertensive by salt loading. Either transplant exerted a long-lasting depressor effect.     

Effects of thyroidectomy on monoamine oxidase activities toward tyramine and serotonin in the circumventricular nuclei of the rat.

Following thyroidectomy, monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities toward tyramine decreased significantly by 20% in the nucleus periventricularis and the nucleus arcuatus among the 3 hypothalamic nuclei of the rat, while MAO activity toward serotonin decreased significantly by 10% only in the nucleus periventricularis. It is suggested that thyroidectomy induced selective changes on the multiple forms of MAO in the discrete circumventricular nuclei.     

Effects of thyroidectomy on monoamine oxidase activities toward tyramine and serotonin in the circumventricular nuclei of the rat

Summary Following thyroidectomy, monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities toward tyramine decreased significantly by 20% in the nucleus periventricularis and the nucleus arcuatus among the 3 hypothalamic nuclei of the rat, while MAO activity toward serotonin decreased significantly by 10% only in the nucleus periventricularis. It is suggested that thyroidectomy induced selective changes on the multiple forms of MAO in the discrete circumventricular nuclei.     

Effect of lesions of the locus coeruleus complex on the circadian rhythm of plasma corticosterone in the mouse.

An apparently transient elevation of basal morning (08.00 h) plasma corticosterone levels in male mice was found 48 h after bilateral electrolytic lesions of the brainstem locus coeruleus complex but was not observed 6 weeks after lesioning.     

Simple technic for culture of locus coeruleus nucleus in the newborn mouse]

The dissecting procedure and tissue culture technique on collagen coated coverslips in Leighton tubes, of newborn Mouse nucleus locus coeruleus and the regular histofluorescence demonstration of catecholaminergic fibers in the outgrowth zone are described. This simple method allows 10 day--long experiments .     

Effect of lesions of the locus coeruleus complex on the circadian rhythm of plasma corticosterone in the mouse

Summary An apparently transient elevation of basal morning (08.00 h) plasma corticosterone levels in male mice was found 48 h after bilateral electrolytic lesions of the brainstem locus coeruleus complex but was not observed 6 weeks after lesioning.Supported by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation research fellowships awarded to W.G. Luttge and S.F. Zornetzer.     

Effects of altered thyroid state on the inhibition produced by locus coeruleus in purkinje cells in the rat

Summary The number of cerebellar Purkinje cells inhibited after locus coeruleus stimulation was found to be greater in hyperthyroid rats than in control healthy animals; these in turn showed a higher percentage of inhibited cells than hypothyroid rats. It is concluded that thyroid hormone is capable of modulating synaptic activity in the LC-PC pathway.     

Selective activation of noradrenergic neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord of young spontaneously hypertensive rats

Summary In young spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), dopamine -hydroxylase (DBH) and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) activities were examined in the brainstem nuclei. Activation of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus, A2 and spinal intermediolateral cell areas, resulting in enhanced sympathetic nervous activity in the periphery, initiates hypertension. Adrenergic neurons, unchanged in these and A1 cell areas of young SHR, are not involved in the development of hypertension in SHR.     

Brain stem projections to the cerebral cortex in the rat.

By means of the HRP method it was shown that the entire cerebral cortex, but in greater proportion the frontal and posterior temporo-parietal regions, receive fibres from the dorsal and medial raphe nuclei and from the locus coeruleus. In contrast, the pars compacta substantiae nigrae and the tegmental area send projections to the motor and cingular areas respectively.     

Brain stem projections to the cerebral cortex in the rat

Summary By means of the HRP method it was shown that the entire cerebral cortex, but in greater proportion the frontal and posterior temporo-parietal regions, receive fibres from the dorsal and medial raphe nuclei and from the locus coeruleus. In contrast, the pars compacta substantiae nigrae and the tegmental area send projections to the motor and cingular areas respectively.     

Correlation between serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase activities in central and peripheral adrenergic neurons and adrenal glands.

Serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats had a positive correlation with dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase activities in mesenteric vessels, vas deferens, and adrenal glands at 14-16 weeks of age, a negative correlation with dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in locus coeruleus at 3 weeks and 14-16 weeks of age, and a positive correlation with tyrosine hydroxylase activity only at 3 weeks of age, but not at 14-16 weeks of age.     

Oxidation of synephrine by type A and type B monoamine oxidase.

Synephrine (SP) was found to be a substrate for monoamine oxidase (MAO) in rat brain mitochondria, showing the Km and Vmax values of 250 microM and 32.6 nmoles/mg of protein/30 min respectively. The inhibition studies showed that the SP oxidation was carried out by both type A and type B MAO and a major part of the activity was due to type A MAO.     

Distribution of monoamine oxidase in hippocampal region of the rat

The distribution and development of type A and type B monoamine oxidase (MAO) activities in the hippocampal region of the rat was investigated with biochemical microdetermination. Type A MAO is absolutely dominant and unevenly distributed in the hippocampus. The development of type A MAO in the hippocampus seems to be delayed and reachs adult levels by the 30th day after birth.