title: Levels of dopamine and noradrenaline in the developing of retina--effect of light deprivation.
abstract: The effect of light deprivation on the levels of dopamine and noradrenaline was studied in the developing rat retina. These transmitters were estimated in three groups of rats: (i) cycling light reared; (ii) dark reared since birth; and (iii) dark reared since birth, but exposed to cycling light for 1 day prior to the estimation of catecholamines. Our results show that (1) there is a progressive decrease in the levels of dopamine and noradrenaline in the cycling light and dark reared rats during postnatal development; (2) dark rearing further reduces the content of dopamine and noradrenaline; and (3) restoration of physiological (light) stimulus in the dark-reared rats during the early postnatal period results in the recovery of noradrenaline to a greater extent than that of dopamine. This study demonstrates a progressive decrease in the plasticity of dopaminergic system during retinal development, while such a decrease is not apparent in the noradrenergic system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Shelke
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lakshmana
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ramamohan
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Raju
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003624:Darkness; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008027:Light; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010507:Periodicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012160:Retina / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine