Many studies have demonstrated that the various changes occured in peripheral effectors of autonomic and endocrine systems under the affection of several environmental conditions. In this point, the auther intended to investigate the changes of monoamineoxidase (MAO) and acetylcholinesterase (Ach-E) activities in central nervous system which had a part of feedback control mechanism with peripheral effectors, and clarified the seasonal variations of MAO and Ach-E activities in rabbit brains. The experiments were carried out using 18 adult male albino rabbits bred under natural climate at Tsu-city (latitude 34°32′ N., longitude 136°31′ E.). The daily dry bulb temperature in this city was 12.5°C in spring, 27.3°C in summer, 17.6°C in autum, and 4.6°C in winter.
The animals were killed by air infusion into auricular vein, then the brain was removed and minced in seven parts; telencephalon, diencephalon, colliculus rostaris, mesencephalon, pons, myelencephalon and cerebellum. Each of the brain parts was homogenized with phosphate buffer by all-grass homogenizer.
The MAO activity was determined by Creasey and Davision's method; tyramin oxidation was calculated manometoricaly from the oxygen uptake during first 30 minutes of the reaction, and the Ach-E activity was also determined by Ammon's method; acetylcholine hydolysis was calculated from the volume of the carbon dioxide during first 30 minutes of the reaction.
The obtained results were as follows:
1. Both of these enzyme activities varied similary in the form of monophasic seasonal variation, except the Ach-E activity in colliculus rostaris which varied in the form of diphasic variation.
2. The reciprocal proportion of these enzyme activities was not observed on the distribution in the brain perts. But the reciprocal chenges of these enzyme activities were observed on the seasonal variation in telencephalon and diencephalon.
3. In winter, the decrease of MAO activity in telencephalon, pons, myelencephalon and cerebellum, and the increase of Ach-E activity in telencephalon, diencephalon, colliculus rostaris, mesencephalon and pons, were observed significantly.
4. Against winter, the antagonistic balance of these enzyme activities was observed in autumn especially in telencephalon.
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