Studies on the collectability of3H-γ-aminobutyric acid from rat cerebral cortex; Effects of lithium

Résumé La libération de l'acide -aminobutyrique à la surface du cortex cerebral est augmentée par remplacement du Na⁺ par le Li⁺.

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Thanks are due to Prof.J. F. Mitchell who directed some of these studies while the author was a Wellcome Research Fellow in the University of Cambridge.     

Effect of desipramine on the contents of some free amino acids of mouse brain

Summary I.p. injections of desipramine-HCL (100 mg/kg) produced decreases in the contents of several amino acids of mouse brain after 1 h. Using a 10–100 mg/kg range of doses, these effects appeared to be dose-dependent for -alanine and aspartate. These changes may be due, in part, to a decrease in cerebral oxidative metabolism (Krebs cycle activity) which occurs secondarily to desipramine-induced hypothermia.This study was supported by Centro Ramón y Cajal and Fundacion Juan March.     

Glutamate decarboxylase activity in brain regions of differentially-housed mice; a difference in the olfactory bulb

Summary Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activities were determined in homogenates of 8 brain regions of mice that had been differentially housed (isolated vs grouped) for 4–9 weeks. GAD activity was lower in whole forebrains and in olfactory bulbs of isolated mice, changes which might be associated with their increased aggressiveness.     

gamma-Aminobutyric acid and cardiovascular function

Evidence supporting the hypothesis that GABA-ergic mechanisms are involved in controlling mammalian cardiovascular function has been reviewed and analyzed. In vivo and in vitro studies with GABA-agonists and GABA-antagonists have revealed that activation of GABA-receptors is involved in the control of blood pressure and heart rate. Further studies conducted with agents that modify central and/or peripheral GABA-ergic systems could lead to the discovery of drugs that might be useful for treating certain cardiovascular disorders in man, such as hypertension and stroke, and should increase our understanding of the pathophysiological bases of such disorders.     

A note on the subcellular distribution of brain protein in differentially-housed mice

Résumé Utilisant une technique subcellulaire pour étudier la distribution de la protéine dans des cerveaux de souris, on a constaté certaines différences.

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This study was supported in part by a grant from the Eli Lilly Company.