LOCUS COERULEUS, NORADRENALINE METABOLISM AND STRESS
1976; Elsevier BV; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/b978-0-08-020588-5.50019-9
Autores Tópico(s)Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
ResumoMetabolism of noradrenaline (NA) in the central nervous system is increased by various kinds of severe "stress." A major part of cerebral NA is localized in neurons originating from the locus coeruleus. The locus coeruleus of the rat is a nucleus, consisting of perikarya of noradrenergic neurons, located in the anterior pons, just beneath the lateral aspect of the fourth ventricle. The ascending noradrenergic projections of the locus coeruleus to the cerebral cortex do not cross the midline. The present study establishes the role of the locus coeruleus for the effects of stress on metabolism of NA in the cerebral cortex. These effects appeared to be similar to the effects of electrical stimulation of the locus coeruleus. It was found that neither deamination nor catechol-O-methylation limits the rapid degradation released NA. It was also found that the analgesic drug morphine slows the spontaneous activity of neurons of the locus coeruleus.
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