Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology

, Volume 282, Issue 4, pp 327–334 | Cite as

Regional changes in monoamine levels and in the rate of tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylation in 4 week old offspring of nursing mothers treated with the neuroleptic drug penfluridol

  • Jörgen Engel
  • Per Lundborg
Article
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Summary

Nursing rat mothers were given penfluridol 1.0 mg/kg on days 1, 3, and 5 after delivery. The male litter-mates were killed 4 weeks after birth 30 min after treatment with an inhibitor of aromatic l-aminoacid-decarboxylase, NSD-1015, and the concentrations of noradrenaline, dopamine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine were analyzed in regional brain areas. Additionally, the accumulation of Dopa and 5-hydroxytryptophan after administration of NSD-1015 was analyzed. In the offspring of mothers treated with penfluridol a marked decrease in the rate of tyrosine hydroxylation in specific brain regions was observed. The possibility that penfluridol interacts with the development of monoaminergic mechanisms in the brain at a sensitive developmental period, and thereby induces a decreased functional activity in central monoamine neurones, especially in the limbic system, is discussed.

Key words

Development Biochemical Teratology Penfluridol Monoamines Tyrosine and Tryptophan Hydroxylation 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1974

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jörgen Engel
    • 1
  • Per Lundborg
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of PharmacologyUniversity of GöteborgGöteborgSweden

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