Succinoxidase activity in reticular neurons of hyperactive rats.

Abstract

The succinoxidase activity of single neurons from the reticular formation was measured with the Cartesian diver technique. The average activity of nerve cell bodies from the nucleus gigantocellularis or pontis caudalis from control rats was 4.5 μl O2×10−4 per hour at 37°C. After rats had received β-β-iminodipropionitrile, the succinoxidase activity of the same type neuron increased to an average of 8.0 μl O2×10−4. It was suggested that this increase was of etiological significance for the symptoms of hyperactivity which developed later. Also when β-β-iminodipropionitrile had been added to the reticular neurons from normal rats in vitro, the succinoxidase activity increased to 8.4 μl O2×10−4 per hour.