Summary
Taurine, a putative inhibitory neurotransmitter, was injected in various doses intracerebroventricularly to conscious rats via pre-implanted polythene cannulas. The formation of DOPA and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) in various brain regions was investigated by measuring the accumulation of these monoamine precursors induced within 30 min by the intraperitoneal injection of 3-hydroxybenzyl hydrazine HCl (NSD 1015, 100 mg/kg), an inhibitor of the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase readily penetrating into the brain. DIPA formation, but not 5-HTP formation was significantly enhanced by taurine in dose-related manner in all brain regions studied, indicating an increased synthesis of both dopamine and noradrenaline. Dopamine depletion induced by α-methyltyrosine was significantly retarded by taurine, whereas noradrenaline depletion tended to be enhanced. Endogenous levels of dopamine were increased, whereas the following brain constituents were unchanged: tyrosine, tryptophan, noradrenaline, 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. In the exoeriments with NSD 1015, a dose-related decrease in rectal temperature and in motility was observed after taurine treatment, as compared to treatment with the decarboxylase inhibotor alone. Systemic parenteral administration of taurine caused no significant changes in brain monoamines, body temperature or behaviour but decreased the heart noradrenaline levels. The data indicate that taurine, which apparently has to be given intracerebroventricularly in order to reach the brain in sufficient amounts, causes inhibition of firing in central dopamine neurons but has the opposite effect on noradrenaline neurons, perhaps also peripherally, whereas 5-HT neurons appear to be unaffected. In addition, taurine appears to interfere with motor behaviour and temperature regulation, possibly via effects on catecholaminergic systems.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atack, C. F.: The determination of dopamine by a modification of the dihydroxyindole fluorometric assays. Br. J. Pharmacol. 48, 699–714 (1973)
Atack, C., Lindqvist, M.: Conjoint native and orthophthaldial-dehyde condensate assays for the fluorimetric determination of 5-hydroxyindole in brain. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 279, 267–284 (1973)
Atack, C. V., Magnusson, T.: Individual elution of noradrenaline (together with adrenaline), dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and histamine from a single strong cation exchange column, by means of mineral acid-organic solvent mixtures. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 22, 625–627 (1970)
Barbeau, A., Tsukada, Y., Inoue, N.: Neuropharmacologic and behavioural effects of taurine. In: Taurine (R. Huxtable and A. Barbeau, eds.), pp. 253–266. New York: Raven Press, 1976
Baskin, S. I., Miukamp, D. L., Marqins, W. J., Tilson, H. A.: Effects of taurine on psychomotor activity in the rat. Neuropharmacology 13, 591–594 (1974)
Bédard, P., Carlsson, A., Lindqvist, M.: Effect of a transverse cerebral hemisection on 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism in the rat brain. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 272, 1–15 (1972)
Bertler, Å, Carlsson, A., Rosengren, E.: A method for the fluorimetric determination of adrenaline and noradrenaline in tissues. Acta Physiol. Scand. 44, 273–292 (1958)
Biswas, B., Carlsson, A.: The effect of intracerebroventricularly administered GABA on brain monoamine metabolism. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 299, 47–51 (1977)
Carlsson, A., Lindqvist, M.: Effect of ethanol on the hydroxylation of tyrosine and tryptophan in rat brain in vivo. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 25, 437–440 (1973)
Collins, G. C. S.: The rates of synthesis, uptake, and disappearance of [14C]-taurine in eight areas of rat central nervous system. Brain Res. 76, 447–459 (1976)
collins, G. C. S., Topiwala, S. H.: The release of [14C]-taurine from slices of rat cerebral cortex and spinal cord evoked by electrical stimulation and high potassium ion concentrations. Br. J. Pharmacol. 50, 451 (1974)
Cott, J., Engel, J.: Suppression by GABAergic drugs of the locomotor stimulation induced by morphine, amphetamine and apomorphine: Evidence for both pre- and postsynaptic inhibition of catecholamine systems. J. Neural Transmission 40, 253–268 (1977)
Curtis, D. R., Watkins, J. C.: The excitation and depression of spinal neurons by structurally related aminoacids. J. Neurochem. 6, 117–141 (1960)
Curtis, D. R., Hösli, L., Johnston, G. A. R.: A pharmacological study of the depression of spinal neurons by glycine and related aminoacids. Exp. Brain. Res. 6, 1–18 (1968)
Davidson, A. N., Kaczmarek, L. K.: Taurine, a possible neurotransmitter? Nature 234, 107–108 (1971)
Gaut, Z. N., Nauss, C. B.: Uptake of taurine by human blood platelets: A possible model for brain. In: Taurine (R. Huxtable and A. Barbeau, eds.), pp. 91–98. New York: Raven Press 1976
Haas, H. L., Hösli, L.: The depression of brain stem neurones by taurine and its interaction with strychnine and bicuculline. Brain Res. 52, 399–402 (1973)
Hruska, R. E., Thut, P. D., Huxtable, R., Bressler, R.: Hypothermia produced by taurine. In: Taurine (R. Huxtable and A. Barbeau, eds.), pp. 347–356. New York: Raven Press 1976
Jacobsen, J. G., Smith, L. H., Jr.: Biochemistry and physiology of taurine and taurine derivatives. Physiol. Rev. 48, 424–511 (1968)
Kehr, W., Carlsson, A., Lindqvist, M.: A method for the determination of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) in brain. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 274, 273–280 (1972)
Lahdismäki, O., Oja, S. S.: Effect of electrical stimulation of influx and efflux of taurine in brain slices of newborn and adult rats. Exp. Brain Res. 15, 430–438 (1972)
Pasante-Morales, H., Salceda, S., López-Colomé, A. M.: The role of taurine in retina: factors effecting its release. In: Taurine (R. Huxtable and A. Barbeau, eds.), pp. 191–200. New York: Raven Press 1976
Perry, T. L.: Hereditary mental depression with taurine deficiency: Further studies including a therapeutic trial of taurine administration. In: Taurine (R. Huxtable and A. Barbeau, eds.), pp. 365–374. New York: Raven Press 1976
Perry, T. L., Currier, R. D., Hansen, S., Maclean, J.: Aspartate-taurine imbalance in dominantly inherited olivoponto cerebellar atrophy. Neurology 27, 257–261 (1977)
Spaeth, D. G., Schneider, D. L.: Turnover of taurine in rat tissues. J. Nutr. 104, 179–186 (1974)
van Gelder, N. M., Sturwin, A. L., Rasmussen, T.: Amino acid content of epileptogenic human brain: Focal versus surrounding regions. Brain Res. 40, 385–393 (1972)
Waalkes, T. P., Udenfriend, S.: A fluorometric method for the estimation of tyrosine in plasma and tissues. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 50, 733–736 (1957)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Yebenes Prous, J.G., Carlsson, A. & Mena Gomez, M.A. The effect of taurine on motor behaviour, body temperature and monoamine metabolism in rat brain. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 304, 95–99 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00495544
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00495544