Abstract
LITTLE information is available concerning the biochemistry of the brain of the hibernating animal although a considerable amount of data has been reported concerning the electrophysiology. Hibernating animals respond to stimuli with cries, positional changes and arousal1; but conspicuous activity was reported to be absent in the electrocorticogram of the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) during arousal until body temperatures reached 19°–21° (ref. 2). Recordings from sub-cortical areas showed electrical activity at lower temperatures to be largely confined to the limbic system3, while in the awakening European hamster (Cricetus cricetus) there was a sequence of increasing electrical activity with rising body temperature from mesencephalon to neocortex4. Cortical and sub-cortical neuronal activity has been recorded in the ground squirrel during deep hibernation, but only at 10 per cent of the amplitude found in the awakened brain1. It therefore seemed of interest to determine whether changes in enzyme systems of particular significance to the nervous system, such as cholinesterase and glutamic decarboxylase, occurred in the hibernating brain concomitantly with these electrophysiological phenomena.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Strumwasser, F., Amer. J. Physiol., 196, 8, 15, 23 (1959).
Chatfield, P. O., Lyman, C. P., and Purpura, D. P., EEG Clin. Neurophysiol., 3, 225 (1951).
Chatfield, P. O., and Lyman, C. P., EEG Clin. Neurophysiol., 6, 403 (1954).
Raths, P., Z. Biol., 110, 62 (1958).
Albers, R. W. (personal communication).
Gal, E. M., Fed. Proc., 16, 298 (1957).
Albers, R. W., and Brady, R. O., J. Biol. Chem., 234, 926 (1959).
Lowry, O. H., Rosenbrough, N. J., Farr, A. L., and Randall, R. J., J. Biol. Chem., 193, 265 (1951).
South, jun., F. E., Physiol. Zool., 31, 6 (1958).
South, jun., F. E., Amer. J. Physiol., 198, 463 (1960).
Burgen, A. S. V., and Chipman, L. M., J. Physiol., 114, 296 (1951).
Pope, A., Morris, A. A., Jasper, H., Elliott, K. A. C., and Penfield, W., Res. Publ. Assoc. Nerv. Ment. Dis., 26, 218 (1947).
Tower, D. B., and Elliott, K. A. C., J. App. Physiol., 5, 375 (1953).
Scaife, J. F., and Campbell, D. H., Nature, 182, 1739 (1958).
Albers, R. W., in The Neurochemistry of Nucleotides and Amino Acids, 147. (John Wiley, New York, 1960).
Meyer, M. P., and Morrison, P., in Mammalian Hibernation, Bull. Mus. Com. Zool. at Harvard College, 124, 405 (Cambridge, Mass., 1960).
Hannon, J. P., Vaughan, D. A., and Hock, R. J., J. Cell. and Comp. Physiol., 57, 5 (1961).
Bazemore, A., Elliott, K. A. C., and Florey, E., J. Neurochem., 1, 334 (1957).
Roberts, E. (edit.), Inhibition in the Nervous System and Gamma-Amino-butyric Acid (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1960).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ROBINSON, J., BRADLEY, R. Cholinesterase and Glutamic Decarboxylase Levels in the Brain of the Hibernating Hamster. Nature 197, 389–390 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/197389a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/197389a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
