Summary
The synthesis of dopamine was determined as the accumulation of Dopa after Dopa decarboxylase inhibition. The release of dopamine was determined as the disappearance of the amine after treatment with the tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor α-methyltyrosine. These processes were not significantly changed in the rat brain by pentobarbital sodium anaesthesia or by 10 min halothane anaesthesia. The accelerations of the dopamine synthesis and release after treatment with haloperidol were markedly reduced during pentobarbital, but not halothane anaesthesia. Anaesthesia with pentobarbital did not affect the increased synthesis and release of dopamine observed when the dopaminergic nerve terminals were depolarized by local treatment with KCl. The increases in dopamine synthesis and concentration after axotomy were similar whether the operation was performed during pentobarbital or halothane anaesthesia. It is suggested that the selective reduction of the haloperidol-induced effects by pentobarbital may be due to interference with a neuronal feedback loop.
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Andén, NE., Magnusson, T. & Stock, G. Effect of anaesthetic agents on the synthesis and disappearance of brain dopamine normally and after haloperidol, KCl or axotomy. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 283, 409–418 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00501113
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00501113