title: Effect of increments in the concentration of dopamine in the central nervous system on audiogenic seizures in DBA/2J mice.
abstract: The effect on audiogenic seizures of drug-induced increments in biogenic amines in the brain was determined in DBA/2J mice. One group of mice was treated with L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) which caused a large rise in levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in the central nervous system, but did not significantly alter the concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine. This group of animals exhibited a dramatic reduction in the incidence of tonic extensor seizures. A second group of animals that had been pretreated with diethyldithiocarbamate, a dopamine-beta-hydroxylase inhibitor, was also given L-DOPA. In this group of mice, there was a highly significant rise in the concentration of dopamine in brain but no statistically-significant changes in levels of either norepinephrine or 5-hydroxytryptamine. These animals also had a dramatic decrease in the incidence of tonic extensor seizures. A third group of animals that received only diethyldithiocarbamate did not exhibit any statistically-significant changes in the incidence of seizure or in levels of biogenic amines. The drug-induced reduction in the incidence of seizure in the first two groups correlated with a large increase in levels of dopamine in brain. This reduction in seizures did not correlate with changes in levels of norepinephrine or 5-hydroxytryptamine in brain.
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004050:Ditiocarb / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D012640:Seizures / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D007980:Levodopa; D004050:Ditiocarb; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine