Cerebral monoamine metabolism in guinea-pigs with ascorbic acid deficiency.
Guinea-pigs kept on a diet deficient in vitamin C showed, after 3 weeks, a marked decrease of ascorbic acid in brain and blood leucocytes as well as of the activity of alkaline phosphatase in blood plasma. Pair-fed animals did not exhibit these changes. The alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha MpT)-induced diminution of noradrenaline in the hypothalamus and the rest of the brain was attenuated in pair-fed animals, but restored in guinea-pigs deficient in ascorbic acid. The cerebral noradrenaline content (without administration of alpha MpT) showed a decrease in both pair-fed and ascorbic acid deficient animals. The noradrenaline of the heart exhibited a similar tendency. The alpha MpT-induced dopamine decrease in the striatum of ascorbic acid deficient animals was attenuated and the dopamine content (without alpha MpT administration) decreased. Pair-fed animals showed a similar tendency. The striatal concentration of homovanillic acid (HVA) was diminished in both pair-fed and ascorbic acid deficient guinea-pigs. The cerebral content of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid showed a decrease in pair-fed as well as in ascorbic acid deficient animals. It is concluded that ascorbic acid deficiency enhances the turnover of brain noradrenaline, whereas under-nutrition without ascorbic acid deficiency (pair-feeding) diminishes the turnover of cerebral noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and striatal dopamine.
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001206:Ascorbic Acid Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008781:Methyltyrosines / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D008781:Methyltyrosines; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid