The urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid does not reflect brain levels of this metabolite of 5-hydroxytryptamine.
The present study was undertaken to determine if changes in the serotonergic central nervous system can be reflected by urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels. Cerebral, spinal and urinary levels of 5-HIAA were determined and compared in rats whose cerebral 5-HIAA concentration had been depleted by nucleus raphe dorsalis and medialis lesion or increased by L-tryptophan loading. Since no differences were observed in the urinary excretion of 5-HIAA we conclude that this parameter cannot be used to detect changes in the serotonergic central nervous system.
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000032:analysis; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000032:analysis; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology*
D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D014364:Tryptophan; D002230:Carbidopa