The central metabolism of serotonin in the cat during insomnia. A neurophysiological and biochemical study after administration ofP-chlorophenylalanine or destruction of the raphe´system

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(71)90028-X

Brain Research

Volume 29, Issue 2, 18 June 1971, Pages 195-212

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(71)90028-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Neurophysiological experiments were performed in chronically implanted cats continuously recorded.

In normal cats small doses of 5-HTP (5 mg/kg) had no significant effect, whereas large doses (50 mg/kg) induced a state of EEG synchronization with suppression of paradoxical sleep for 8 h.

The insomnia that followed the injection of 400 mg ofp-chlorophenylalanine/kg reached its maximum after 40 h. Injection of 5 mg ofdl-5-HTP/kg at the time of maximal insomnia restored both slow-wave sleep and paradoxical sleep to normal levels during 5–6 h. Injection of 50 mg of 5-HTP/kg restored normal levels of both states of sleep for 12 h.

The insomnia that followed surgical destruction of the raphe´system was not reversible by small or large doses of 5-HTP.

Biochemical investigations were performedin vitro, on the brains of cats killed during the time of maximal pharmacologically induced insomnia or 8 days after the destruction of the raphe´system. The synthesis of [³H]5-HT from [³H]Trp was impaired in both categories, whereas the synthesis of [³H]5-HT from [³H]5-HTP was normal. It is concluded that in normal conditions, exogenous 5-HTP is not a physiological precursor of 5-HT at the central 5-HT terminal. However, in PCPA-treated cats, exogenous 5-HTP, in small doses, could represent a physiological precursor of 5-HT. The relationship between 5-HT-containing neurons and sleep are discussed.

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: Preliminary reports of some of the present findings have been published elsewhere.

^**: Present address: Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, Del., U.S.A.

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The central metabolism of serotonin in the cat during insomnia. A neurophysiological and biochemical study after administration ofP-chlorophenylalanine or destruction of the raphe´system

Abstract

Brain Research

Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.)

Biochem. Pharmacol.

Pharmacol. Res. Commun.

Brain Research

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Physiol. Behav.

Life Sci.

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Identification and assay of serotonin in brain

J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther.

Pharmacological studies with the serotonin precursor 5-HTP

J. Pharmacol.

Evidence for the existence of monoamine containing neurons in the central nervous system. I. Demonstration of monoamines in the cell bodies of brain stem neurons

Acta physiol. scand.

Suppression du sommeil par la parachlorometamphe´tamine et la parachlorophe´nylalanine

C.R. Soc. Biol. (Paris)

Reserpine resistant uptake of catecholamines in isolated tissues of the rat

Acta physiol. scand.

Tryptophan hydroxylase inhibition. The mechanism by whichp-chlorophenylalanine depletes brain serotonin

Molec. Pharmacol.