STIMULUS-DEPENDENT ANTAGONISM OF THE ALPHA-METHYL-TYROSINE-INDUCED LOWERING OF BRAIN CATECHOLAMINES BY LEVO-AMPHETAMINE IN INTACT MICE.

摘要

D-amphetamine may exert a stimulus-dependent antagonism of the depletion of brain catecholamines that normally occurs after their biosynthesis is inhibited by alpha-methyltyrosine. Male mice which had previously been made aggressive by long-term isolation were allowed to stimulate each other by fighting. Although alpha-methyltyrosine decreased the incidence of fighting somewhat,the fighting that did occur increased the release of catecholamines. Presumably,by inhibiting reuptake, d-amphetamine prolonged their residence near receptors and this enhanced nervous activation. This,in turn,presumably resulted in a degree of stimulus-induced neurotransmitter conservation that exceeded the enhanced release caused by fighting. We speculate that stimulus-conservation of amines may be effected by the reversible inhibition of monoamine oxidase. (Author)