title: Increased catecholamine metabolism in the locus coeruleus of young spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: Young, 4-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) had significantly higher concentrations of dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and a faster rate of accumulation of L-dihydroxyphenylalanine after decarboxylase inhibition in the locus coeruleus than age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats, whereas the norepinephrine levels were similar to each other. In the brainstem, these changes were restricted to the locus coeruleus and were not present in adult, 14-week-old rats with established hypertension. These results are suggestive of a noradrenergic overactivity in the locus coeruleus of young SHR, coinciding with the development of the hypertension.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koulu
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Saavedra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niwa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linnoila
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000032:analysis; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism*; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine