Chicken Brain Amines: Normal Levels and Effect of Reserpine and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Abstract

Publisher Summary In this chapter, norepinephrine and serotonin concentrations were determined in the major brain regions of 3- to 4-months old male and 2-years old female white Leghorn chickens, which had received the intramuscular injections of nialamide, isocarboxazide, reserpine, or combinations thereof. The chapter provides the control values for serotonin and norepinephrine (in μg/g) in the fresh tissues of cerebral hemispheres, midbrain, pons-medulla, and cerebellum for both males and females Relatively high amounts of norepinephrine were found in the cerebellum compared to other species. lsocarboxazid and nialamide, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, elevated both norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain, whereas reserpine lowered the brain biogenic amines. The combined administration of reserpine and a monoamine oxidase inhibitor gave brain amine levels between those found with either drug alone. Thus, with the exception of the cerebellum, in chickens as well as in mammals, reserpine and monoamine oxidase inhibitors change brain amine levels in opposite directions.