title: Ontogeny of brain monoamines in lean and obese female Zucker rats.
abstract: Differences in monoamine and metabolite levels were previously observed between lean and obese 16 week-old female Zucker rats. In order to test whether these variations exist initially in young animals, catecholamines (CA), serotonin (5-HT) and some of their metabolites were assayed in brain areas of Zucker rats between 5 and 16 weeks of age. The levels of most compounds in all areas studied increased with age in both groups. At 5 weeks of age, there was no difference between lean and obese rats. At 8 weeks, a reduction of dopamine (DA) metabolites appeared in the striatum and cortex of obese rats and persisted up to 16 weeks. A reduction of the 5-HT metabolite, 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA), occurred at 8 weeks only. At 16 weeks, increases of DA and 5-HT in the hypothalamus and decreases of norepinephrine (NE), 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the hippocampus appeared. These data suggest that the development of obesity occurs before any monoamine alterations.
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000032:analysis*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid