title: Age-related changes of catecholamines and their metabolites content in the visual system of the rat.
abstract: The changes in the content of the catecholamines in each structure of the geniculate and extrageniculate visual system of the rat during the aging period (6-30 months) have been studied. Dopamine was found at lower levels than noradrenaline in all the structures. The dopamine and noradrenaline showed different developmental profiles. Dopamine and its metabolite levels decreased in the lateral geniculate and visual cortex and increased in superior colliculus and posterior thalamus. Noradrenaline and its metabolites increased in all structures during the aging period. However, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol/noradrenaline and normetanephrine/noradrenaline ratios decreased in all structures except in superior colliculus. These results suggest age-related changes in the catecholamines in the visual system of the rat.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquimica, Facultad de Farmacia, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cano
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000032:analysis; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009647:Normetanephrine / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013788:Thalamus / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D009647:Normetanephrine; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; C001746:3-methoxytyramine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid