title: Effects of L-threo-dihydroxyphenylserine on spinal reflexes and decerebrate rigidity in rats.
abstract: 1. The effects of a noradrenaline precursor, L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (L-DOPS), on spinal mono-(MSR) and polysynaptic reflexes (PSR) and decerebrate rigidity, were studied. 2. Although a low dose of L-DOPS (10 mg/kg, i.v.) did not affect MSR or PSR in C1 spinal rats, high doses of L-DOPS (50 and 100 mg/kg, i.v.) moderately enhanced the amplitudes of both MSR and PSR. 3. Clorgyline-HCl (1 mg/kg, i.v.), an MAO inhibitor, enhanced the excitatory effects of low-dose L-DOPS (10 mg/kg, i.v.) on both reflexes. 4. Benserazide-HCl (1 mg/kg, i.v.), an L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, decreased the pressor effect, but not the stimulatory effects, of L-DOPS (100 mg/kg, i.v.) on MSR and PSR. 5. L-DOPS (300 mg/kg, i.p. or i.d.) did not affect the muscle tone of rigid hindlimbs caused by radio frequency lesioning of the midbrain. 6. These results suggest that the moderate enhancing effects of L-DOPS on MSR and PSR are due to conversion of L-DOPS to noradrenaline in the spinal cord.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001545:Benserazide / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003010:Clorgyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D003655:Decerebrate State / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015103:Droxidopa / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects*; D012694:Serine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012694:Serine; D001545:Benserazide; D015103:Droxidopa; D003010:Clorgyline