Changes in neuropeptide levels after brain damage in rats.
The physiological and pathophysiological roles of neuropeptides are still not clear. The aim of our study was to detect long lasting changes of vasoactive-intestinal peptide (VIP), somatostatin (SOM) and substance P (SP) contents in the rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus after brain lesion. The experiments were performed on groups of adult male Wistar rats. The first group consisted of animals with unilateral ablation of the sensorimotor cortex performed at the age of 60 days. The second group was a control one (rats of the same age but with an intact brain). Both groups of animals were sacrificed at the age of 90-105 days and radioimmunoassay was used to determine amounts of VIP, SOM and SP. The mean values of VIP levels were decreased significantly only in contralateral cortical areas, while there was an increase of SP in lesioned animals. Our results suggest that descrete changes in neuropeptide levels occur during restorative processes after brain lesion.
Culić
M
M
Institute for Biological Research, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
Saponjić
J
J
Todorović
V
V
Janković
B
B
Udović
S
S
Peković
S
S
Stojiljković
M
M
Ratković
M
M
Nikolić
A
A
Rakić
L
L
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*
D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D013004:Somatostatin