抄録
Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis was assayed in 12 regions of rat brain following chronic treatment with DN -1417 (γ-butyrolactone-γ-carbonyl-histidyl-prolinamide), a synthetic TRH analog. Chronic DN-1417 treatment (20 mg/kg i. p., 7 daily injections) increased the TH activity in the ventral tegmental area, nucleus arcuatus and nucleus locus coeruleus, and decreased the TH activity in the frontal cortices, olfactory tuberculum and nucleus paraventricularis. No significant change in TH activity was observed in the nucleus accumbens, nucleus caudatus putamen, median eminence and substantia nigra. These results suggest that DN -1417 exerts some of its effects through dopaminergic neurons, as well as noradrenergic neurons; and the mesolimbic and mesocortical dopamine system may be intimately involved in the central actions of DN-1417.
