Abstract
Brain norepinephrine and serotonin were measured in the rat following central nervous system lesions with verified anatomic location. Lesions sectioning the medial forebrain bundle in the lateral hypothalamus and lesions ablating the dorsomedial brainstem tegmentum at the level of the isthmus produced decreases in brain levels of both norepinephrine and serotonin. Other lesions studied selectively affected the level of one amine without altering that of the other. Ventrolateral tegmental lesions decreased only norepinephrine levels, whereas central gray lesions and septal lesions lowered serotonin without significantly affecting norepinephrine. Lesions in the medial hypothalamus or caudate nucleus had no significant effect on the brain levels of either amine. The results are discussed with regard to the presence of amine-producing neurons in the central nervous system and the role of such central neurons in the maintenance of brain monoamine levels.
Footnotes
- Accepted April 23, 1965.
- The Williams & Wilkins Comapny
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