Sleep and monoamines: differential radioautography of central neurons after systematic injection of tritiated 5-hydroxytryptophane (5 HTP 3H) or of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA 3H)]

In normal cats 90 min. after the intravenous injection of 5 mg/kg of 5 HTP and 3H 5 HTP or DOPA and 3H DOPA a few reactive nerve cell bodies were identified by radioautography. On the contrary, 48 hrs. after p-chlorophenylalanin or subtotal lesion of raphe nuclei, these tracers showed numerous reactive neurons inside or outside the central monoaminergic systems.