title: The actions of dihydroxyphenylalanine and dihydroxyphenylserine on the sleep-wakefulness cycle of the rat after peripheral decarboxylase inhibition.
abstract: 1. The actions of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and dihydroxyphenylserine (DOPS) were assessed on the sleep-wakefulness cycle of male Wistar rats. 2. In comparative studies the extracerebral decarboxylase was inhibited with serinetrihydroxybenzylhydrazide (RO 4-4602) before injection of DOPA or DOPS. 3. DOPA (80-160 mg/kg, i.p.) with or without previous inhibition of the peripheral decarboxylase gave rise to an initial significant increase of slow wave activity, which may be related to a release of 5-hydroxytryptamine. 4. During the subsequent 8 h sessions, DOPA significantly decreased slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) and increased wakefulness. 5. DOPS (80-160 mg/kg, i.p.) did not significantly modify the sleep-wakefulness cycle apart from a decrease of the latency for the first REM episode after 160 mg/kg in the RO 4-4602 pretreated animals.
mesh_terms: D000204:Activity Cycles / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001545:Benserazide / Q000494:pharmacology; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015103:Droxidopa / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012694:Serine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012694:Serine; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D001545:Benserazide; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; D015103:Droxidopa