Changes in catecholamine concentrations in the hypothalamus and region of the midbrain raphe in male and female rats during postnatal development.
To investigate possible sex differences in central catecholaminergic systems, the concentrations of dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection in the hypothalamus-preoptic area (H-POA) and midbrain raphe (MR) region of male and female rats throughout postnatal development. Other than a small but significant sex difference in DA concentration in the MR at 36 h (higher in females), the results showed that there were no sex differences in the concentrations of DA or DOPAC at any age in either brain region. The developmental profiles of the concentrations of DA and DOPAC showed that DAergic systems in the H-POA are immature at birth, with concentrations increasing steadily until 80 days of age, but in the MR concentrations reach a maximum at 20 days of age; a situation which is perhaps a reflection of differing monoamine metabolism in the two areas.
D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000378:metabolism*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000378:metabolism; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D010648:Phenylacetates; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine