5-Hydroxytryptamine accumulation in cerebrovascular injury

Abstract

SEVERAL reports^1–3 indicate that some biogenic amines may significantly affect the intensity of the brain tissue reaction to injury, and that 5-hydroxytryptamine may be an essential factor in the production of brain oedema. This study was undertaken to explore this possibility, using as an experimental model brain oedema produced by the application of a cold metal plate to the exposed cerebral cortex of the cat⁴. This procedure results in severe damage to the upper cortical layers, including the disruption of blood vessels and the development of a vasogenic type of oedema. Vasogenic oedema is characterised by extracellular oedema fluid, containing extravasated serum constituents, spreading preferentially through the underlying and adjacent white matter⁵. It has been shown that the leakage of serum constituents is confined to the site of cortical injury, and that vascular permeability in the area of oedematous white matter itself, as tested for by protein tracers, remains unchanged⁶.