PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 6162002

Serotoninergic development in the postnatal rat brain.

T Hedner·P Lundborg
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Various characteristics of the developing serotoninergic system in the brain of rats aged 1 to 28 days were studied biochemically. The levels of the precursor amino acid tryptophan showed a maximal increase in the blood, brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during the 7th and 10th postnatal days. The development of tryptophan hydroxlyase activity measured in vivo by means of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) accumulation after NSD 1015 was closely related to the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels at the various ages. 5-HTP accumulation and 5-HT levels increased most markedly after the second postnatal week. 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels were found to increase rapidly in the brain but somewhat more slowly in the CSF during the second week of postnatal development. Regional studies of 5-HTP accumulation after NSD 1015, 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels indicated a caudal to rostral way of maturation. The disappearance of 5-HT was measured after inhibition of tryptophan hydroxylase with H 22/54. The half-life generally decreased in the various brain parts with advancing age, and in the younger animals the shortest half-life was found in the most caudal brain parts. At 28 days of age the half-life was similar in all brain parts studied. These results indicate the existence of an adult like nerve impulse flow in the 5-HT neurons in the brain stem region of the newborn rats. The results from this investigation clearly indicate that th maturation of the different biochemical parameters of the 5-HT pathways develop in a caudal to rostral direction. The study also supports the view that tryptophan hydroxylase may be the limiting step in the development of the serotoninergic system.

Explore related subjects

5-HydroxytryptophanAge FactorsAnimalsAnimals, NewbornAromatic-L-Amino-Acid DecarboxylasesBenzyl AlcoholsBrainClomipramineHydrazinesHydroxyindoleacetic AcidProbenecidRatsSerotoninTryptophanComparative StudyJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

T Hedner, P Lundborg. 1980. Serotoninergic development in the postnatal rat brain.. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01252130

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2006

Dihydropteridine reductase deficiency: levodopa's long-term effectiveness without dyskinesia.

We report an adult patient lacking endogenous synthesis of monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, and catecholamines) due to a severe dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR) deficiency. With levodopa and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP) supplementation, the patient exhibited moderate mental retardation, acute episodes of parkinsonism, and episodes of depression. Despite the use of levodopa from age 3 months, he exhibited no dyskinesia or dopaminergic cell loss as suggested by normal PET imaging of the dopamine transporter.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗
PubMed2006

Anxiolytic effect of serotonin depletion in the novelty-induced hypophagia test.

RATIONALE: Relatively little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying anxiety in the novelty-induced hypophagia test, the only known anxiety test that is responsive to chronic but not acute or subchronic antidepressant treatment. OBJECTIVES: The goal of the present experiment was to characterize the role of serotonin in the ability of novelty to suppress feeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pair-housed male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to eat graham cracker crumbs individually in their home cage (15 min/day). After stable daily intakes were obtained, the animals were depleted of serotonin using 4-chloro-DL -phenylalanine (150 mg kg(-1) day(-1) x 2 days). Forty-eight hours later, central serotonin was restored by the administration of the peripheral L -aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, benserazide (10 mg/kg), followed 15 min later with the immediate precursor of serotonin, 5-hydroxy-L -tryptophan (30 mg/kg). Thirty minutes later, the animals were given access to graham cracker crumbs in a novel environment. RESULTS: The animals demonstrated increased latencies to approach the food and reduced food intake in the novel environment. This effect was attenuated by serotonin depletion. Repletion of central serotonin restored the inhibitory response to novelty. The analysis of serotonin content in different brain regions confirmed that serotonin was depleted by greater than 90%, whereas the repletion treatment resulted in serotonin levels similar to nondepleted animals. CONCLUSIONS: Acute depletion of serotonin acts to reduce anxiety behavior as measured by an inhibitory anxiety response during exposure to novel stimuli. These findings are in agreement with the proposed general role for serotonin in behavioral inhibition and that reductions of serotonin facilitate the adoption of more active coping responses to stress.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗
PubMed2006

Altered levels of serotonin in lymphoblasts derived from migraine patients.

We previously reported that dysfunctions in the autonomic nervous systems of patients with migraines occur not only in the brain, but throughout the whole body. Serotonin and neuropeptides are also known to have important roles in the pathophysiology of migraine. With this background in mind, we analyzed human lymphoblast cell lines from migraine with aura (MwA) patients to investigate the pathophysiology of migraine. The characteristics of these lymphoblasts and the involvement of the lymphoblasts in serotonin metabolism were examined. The lymphoblasts expressed serotonin receptors as well as some enzymes related to serotonin metabolism. The serotonin level in the MwA lymphoblasts was higher than that in the control cells. However, serotonin uptake into the lymphoblasts in MwA patients was similar to that in the control subjects. These findings suggest that lymphoblasts in MwA patients have altered levels of serotonin metabolism. Moreover, we propose that this lymphoblast cell system could serve as a novel modality for migraine research.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗