Regional levels of choline and acetylcholine in rat brain following head focussed microwave sacrifice: Effect of (+)-amphetamine and (±)-parachloroamphetamine

Abstract

The effect of (+)-amphetamine and (±) p-chloroamphetamine on the levels of choline and acetylcholine (ACh) in discrete regions of rat brain were studied. Animals were sacrificed by head focussed microwave irradiation which terminated all measurable enzymatic activity in brain within two seconds. Both p-chloroamphetamine and amphetamine induced short term ( < 48 hr) increases in ACh levels in the striatum and cerebellum and simultaneous decreases in ACh levels in the hippocampus and cortex. In addition, p-chloroamphetamine caused a long term (> 48 hr) increase in ACh levels in the striatum and cerebellum. It is suggested that the short-term change in ACh levels induced by p-chloroamphetamine and amphetamine are mediated via release of dopamine. while the long term changes in ACh levels caused by p-chloroamphetamine are related to serotonin and may indicate that serotonin is involved in the regulation of ACh turnover in the striatum.