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Effects of disulfiram and diethyldithiocarbamate on spontaneous locomotor activity and brain catecholamine levels in mice

1969; Elsevier BV; Volume: 18; Issue: 7 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0006-2952(69)90150-6

1873-2968

Kenneth E. Moore,

Alcoholism and Thiamine Deficiency

Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) or disulfiram (DS), both of which inhibit dopamine-β-hydroxylase, did not alter brain levels of dopamine but caused a dose-dependent reduction of both the brain content of norepinephrine and the spontaneous locomotor activity of mice. These latter effects were not causally related, since pretreatment with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor prevented the DDC- and DS-induced depletion of norepinephrine but did not alter the ability of these drugs to depress spontaneous locomotor activity. Exposure of the mice to a 4° environment did not alter DS-induced depletion of brain norepinephrine or'behavioral depression. When administered in the diet, DS reduced the brain content of norepinephrine but did not depress motor activity; DDC did not alter either parameter. The results indicate that the central depressant effects of DDC and DS are not exclusively due to the ability of these drugs to alter the absolute levels of brain catecholamines.