The influence of thiamine deficiency and ethanol on rat brain catecholamines.
In rats treated with a thiamine deficient diet for 30 days the brain content of total thiamine decreased by 27-50%. Thiamine deficiency decreased the dopamine (DA) concentration of the striatum indicating a reduced synthesis of DA. In the hypothalamus the levels of the catecholamine metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl glycol (HMPG) were reduced indicating a reduced DA and noradrenaline (NA) turnover. Animals on a diet containing 5% ethanol had increased concentrations of HVA and HMPG in rest brain indicating an increased DA and NA turnover. The concentration of 1-carboxysalsolinol (1-CSAL) and salsolinol (SAL) in the brain stem was increased in animals receiving ethanol. Thus, both thiamine deficiency and ethanol treatment influenced the catecholamine system in a complex region-dependent way. In the brain regions most susceptible to brain damage in thiamine deficiency, i.e., hypothalamus and brain stem, 1-CSAL and SAL increased most following thiamine deficiency combined with ethanol intake.
Sjöquist
B
B
Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Johnson
H A
HA
Neri
A
A
Lindén
S
S
D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
D002395:Catecholamines; D000431:Ethanol