ANOXIC DEPRESSION OF SPONTANEOUS LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY IN CRUCIAN CARP QUANTIFIED BY A COMPUTERIZED IMAGING TECHNIQUE

The crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.) is one of the most anoxia-tolerant fishes. An important strategy used by the crucian carp to survive anoxia is to lower its rate of energy consumption. Anoxia- tolerant fish are known to utilize simultaneously two different strategies for reducing energy consumption during anoxia, the first being a reduction in locomotor activity and the second being a depression of cellular energy demands. Nevertheless, the reduction in locomotor activity during anoxia has never been measured quantitatively. This lack of information is apparently because technical problems have prevented the measurement of spontaneous locomotor activity in fish. It is now possible to use computerized video-imaging techniques to record the movement of an animal continuously. By the use of such a technique, we show that crucian carp respond to anoxia (330 min at 9°C) by rapidly decreasing their locomotor activity (spontaneous swimming distance) to about 50 % of that displayed during normoxia. Frequency diagrams of spontaneous swimming speed showed no bimodality and indicated a general decrease in swimming speed from a median value of 1.82 m min-1 during normoxia to 0.82 m min-1 during anoxia. It is tentatively estimated that the anoxic depression of locomotor activity corresponds to a 35–40 % reduction in total energy consumption. The role of locomotor activity in fish energy budgets is discussed.

Role of GABA in hypoxia tolerance, metabolic depression and hibernation--possible links to neurotransmitter evolution

1. The roles of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate in anoxic survival and anoxic death are discussed, with particular reference to the brain. 2. It is pointed out that the metabolic relationship between GABA and glutamate causes the neural levels of GABA to increase and glutamate to decrease during anoxia. 3. It is suggested that increased levels of GABA could mediate metabolic depression, and, thus, anoxic survival in ectothermic as well as endothermic vertebrates. Furthermore, evidence for a role of GABA in hibernation is discussed. 4. A hypothesis is presented suggesting that hypoxia has been a selective pressure in conserving GABA and glutamate as major inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in vertebrates as well as invertebrates.

FEEDING RANK AND BRAIN SEROTONERGIC ACTIVITY IN RAINBOW TROUT ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS

Two methods for assessing the status of an individual rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss within a group hierarchy, radiographic determination of individual food intake and analysis of brain serotonergic activity, were compared. The results showed that individual food intake, measured as the average share of the group meal, and brain serotonergic activity, measured as brain levels of 5- hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) or as 5-HIAA/5-HT (serotonin) ratios, were inversely correlated with each other, suggesting that both methods could be used as indicators of the position of the rainbow trout in a dominance hierarchy. In addition, specific growth rate correlated significantly with brain 5-HIAA/5-HT ratios. The results indicate that the increase in brain 5-HIAA/5-HT ratios in subordinate individuals is caused by an increased use (release) of 5-HT in these fish, and not by an increase in the level of tryptophan, the amino acid precursor of 5-HT. The relationships between social rank, food intake, growth, stress and brain serotonergic activity of fish in a social hierarchy are discussed.

SPONTANEOUS LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY IN ARCTIC CHARR MEASURED BY A COMPUTERIZED IMAGING TECHNIQUE: ROLE OF BRAIN SEROTONERGIC ACTIVITY

Using a computerized video-image analysis system, spontaneous locomotor activity was measured in dominant and subordinate individuals of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and in individuals treated with inhibitors of serotonin (5-HT) synthesis and re-uptake. Arctic charr were put together in pairs. After 1 week, subordinate individuals were found to have elevated brain levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, a major 5-HT metabolite, suggesting an increase in serotonergic activity. The subordinate individuals had significantly lower spontaneous locomotor activity than the dominant fish. Similarly, Arctic charr displayed a significantly reduced locomotor activity when their serotonergic activity was stimulated by the specific 5- HT re-uptake inhibitor zimeldine. In contrast, fish treated with the 5-HT synthesis inhibitor p-chlorophenylalanine showed a significant increase in locomotor activity. Dominant, subordinate and pharmacologically treated fish all had very similar activity rhythms for the 18 h test period. Thus, neither the previous social experience nor the pharmacological treatment seemed to affect the diurnal activity rhythm per se. Taken together, these results suggest that the brain serotonergic system inhibits locomotor activity and support the possibility that 5-HT is involved in the inhibition of locomotor activity displayed by subordinate fish.

TIME COURSE OF CHANGES IN BRAIN SEROTONERGIC ACTIVITY AND BRAIN TRYPTOPHAN LEVELS IN DOMINANT AND SUBORDINATE JUVENILE ARCTIC CHARR

Concentrations of serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and tryptophan (TRP, the amino acid precursor of 5-HT) were measured, and 5-HIAA/5-HT ratios calculated, in the telencephalon, hypothalamus and brain stem of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) with 1–21 days experience of a dominant or subordinate position in a pair. Brain 5-HIAA levels and 5-HIAA/5-HT ratios (an index of serotonergic activity) increased rapidly in all three areas of the brain in subordinate fish and remained high for up to 21 days. The brain stem 5-HIAA concentration in dominant fish showed a temporary increase after 1 day of social interaction, but returned to the control level 2 days later. The social interactions did not affect 5-HT concentrations in any of the brain regions. An initial, but temporary, increase in brain TRP concentration was seen in both subordinate and dominant fish. After 1–3 days of social interaction, brain TRP levels declined. This decline was most pronounced in subordinate individuals which, after 7 and 21 days, had hypothalamic TRP concentrations significantly lower than those of controls. Moreover, TRP levels in the telencephalon after 21 days, and in the hypothalamus after 7 days, were significantly lower in subordinate individuals than in dominant fish. These results show that subordinate experience rapidly causes a sustained increase in brain 5-HT metabolism which does not correlate with changes in brain TRP levels. Thus, the increases in brain 5-HIAA concentration and in brain 5-HIAA/5-HT ratios probably reflect an increase in functional 5-HT release, a phenomenon that appears to have a wide distribution in the brain.

Prediction of sampling depth and photon pathlength in laser Doppler flowmetry

Monte Carlo simulation of photon migration in tissue was used to assess the sampling depth, measuring depth and photon pathlength in laser Doppler flowmetry. The median sampling depth and photon pathlength in skin, liver and brain tissue were calculated for different probe geometries. The shallowest median sampling depth found was 68 microns for a 120 microns diameter single fibre probe applied to a one-layered skin tissue model. By using separate transmitting and receiving fibres, the median sampling depth, which amounted to 146 microns for a 250 microns fibre centre separation, can be successively increased to 233 microns when the fibres' centres are separated by 700 microns. Total photon pathlength and thereby the number of multiple Doppler shifts increase with fibre separation, thus favouring the choice of a probe with a small fibre separation when linearity is more important than a large sampling depth. Owing mainly to differences in the tissue g-value and scattering coefficient, the median sampling depth is shallower for liver and deeper for brain, in comparison with skin tissue. For skin tissue, the influence on the sampling depth of a homogeneously distributed blood volume was found to be limited to about 1 per cent per percentage increase in tissue blood content, and may, therefore, be disregarded in most practical situations. Simulations show that the median measuring depth is strongly dependent on the perfusion profile.

Laser Doppler perfusion imaging by dynamic light scattering

Imaging of tissue perfusion is important in assessing the influence of peripheral vascular disease on microcirculation. This paper reports on a laser Doppler perfusion imaging technique based on dynamic light scattering in tissue. When a laser beam sequentially scans the tissue (maximal area approximately 12 cm *12 cm), moving blood cells generate Doppler components in the back-scattered light. A fraction of this light is detected by a remote photodiode and converted into an electrical signal. In the signal processor, a signal proportional to the tissue perfusion at each measurement point is calculated and stored. When the scanning procedure is completed, the system generates a color-coded perfusion image on a monitor. A perfusion image is typically built up of data from 4,096 measurement sites, recorded during a time period of 4 min. This image has a spatial resolution of about 2 mm * 2 mm. A theory for the system inherent amplification factor dependence on the distance between individual measurement points and detector is proposed and correction measures are presented. The performance of the laser Doppler perfusion imager was evaluated using a flow simulator. The correlation coefficient between the estimated flow parameter and the perfusion through a mechanical flow simulator was calculated to r = 0.996. To assess the sampling depth of the laser beam, light scattering in tissue was simulated by a Monte Carlo technique. The average sampling depth for skin tissue was calculated to 200-240 microns, depending on the blood content.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Predator exposure alters brain serotonin metabolism in bicolour damselfish

The effect of predator exposure on brain serotonin utilization was studied in bicolour damselfish (Pomacentrus partitus). Predator exposure (lasting 2 h), which took place in an aquarium where a transparent wall separated the damselfish from the predator (a graysby, Epinephelus cruentatus), resulted in increased concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA, the main serotonin metabolite) and 1.6-1.8 fold elevations of 5-HIAA/serotonin ratios (an index of serotonergic activity) in telencephalon, hypothalamus and brain stem. The results show that predator exposure, like intraspecific social stress, induces increased brain serotonergic activity in fish. Different types of stress also elevate brain serotonergic activity in mammals, indicating that this is a phylogenetically very old stress response, possibly helping the animal's coping response.

Changes in the brain levels of GABA and related amino acids in anoxic shore crab (Carcinus maenas)

The effects of anoxia on the brain concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, aspartate, glutamine, alanine, and taurine were measured in the shore crab (Carcinus maenas) and compared with data previously obtained from anoxia-tolerant vertebrates. C. maenas was found to survive 12 h in nitrogen-bubbled water. The changes found in brain amino acid levels were strikingly similar to those seen in anoxia-tolerant vertebrates. Thus, during anoxia, the brain of C. maenas displayed considerable increases in the concentrations of GABA (2.4-fold increase after 12 h) and alanine (8-fold increase after 12 h). By contrast, the brain levels of glutamate, aspartate, and glutamine fell significantly during anoxia, whereas the taurine level remained unchanged. Because GABA is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in arthropods (as well as in most animal phyla), it is suggested that the increased level of GABA could promote the anoxic metabolic depression displayed by C. maenas and thus prolong anoxic survival. It is also possible that the decreases in glutamate and aspartate levels could play similar roles.

Relationship between ion gradients and neurotransmitter release in the newborn rat striatum during anoxia

It has been well documented that mammalian newborns are more resistant to hypoxia than adults. The mechanisms for this tolerance has attracted considerable attention due to its clinical implications. Recently, there has been great interest in comparing the mechanisms involved in such tolerance with those of turtle brain, which has shown a remarkable tolerance to anoxia. In the latter, much attention has been paid to the role of neurotransmitters in regulating brain metabolic rate. In order to investigate this phenomenon in the mammalian neonate the pattern of neurotransmitter release with respect to pre- and postdepolarization stages was determined. Microdialysis was used to ascertain levels of neurotransmitters in the striatum of 5-day-old rats. Ion homeostasis was determined with a potassium-selective microelectrode. We report here that during anoxia at the predepolarization stage purines (inosine, hypoxanthine, xanthine and adenosine) were significantly released. However, amino acids (glutamate, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), aspartate and taurine) remained low during the first 30 min, but were released during anoxic depolarization. It was concluded that mammalian neonate brain differs from that of the turtle in hypoxic adaptations, which may be consequence of its comparatively undifferentiated state.

Brain sensitivity to anoxia in fish as reflected by changes in extracellular K+ activity

Most vertebrates have a very limited tolerance to anoxia. The only exceptions to this rule are found among ectothermic species, notably crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and freshwater turtles. It has been assumed that the brains of these species are less sensitive to anoxia than ectothermic brains in general. However, it has not been possible to exclude that anoxia-intolerant species like rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) die from heart failure rather than brain failure during anoxia, and that the average ectothermic brain is actually rather insensitive to anoxia. By simultaneously measuring the effect of anoxia on brain extracellular K+ activity ([K+]o), blood pressure, and heart rate in rainbow trout, we show that the rainbow trout brain rapidly loses ion homeostasis during anoxia, despite an initial increase in blood pressure. The rainbow trout brain showed a sudden transient increase in [K+]o (suggesting a rapid depolarization) after approximately 30 min of anoxia at 10 degrees C. At the same time the blood pressure was still close to the normoxic value. In a comparative experiment, crucian carp was found to maintain a low brain [K+]o for at least 6 h of anoxia. Thus the results suggest that the rainbow trout brain is anoxia-intolerant in itself, and that its ability to maintain ion gradients during anoxia is very much lower than that of crucian carp. If temperature differences are taken into account, the anoxia sensitivity of the rainbow trout brain is comparable to that of mammals.

The cutaneous vascular axon reflex in humans characterized by laser Doppler perfusion imaging

1. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging was used to map the cutaneous vascular axon response induced by trains of electrical skin stimuli (1 ms, 2 Hz) on the dorsum of the hand, finger and foot in twenty-four healthy subjects. Conduction anaesthesia was applied to nerves supplying the stimulated skin areas. Subtraction of images recorded before and after stimulation was used for data analysis of the intensity and area of the response. 2. The stimulation evoked a localized perfusion increase around the stimulating electrode which lasted approximately 30 min and increased in intensity and area with increasing stimulation strength to a maximum at 20 pulses and 20 mA. The intensity and area of the response was greater on the hand than on the foot. 3. Approximating the response area as a circle, the maximal perfusion increase in the hand extended 9 +/- 3 mm (mean +/- S.D.) outside the perimeter of the stimulating electrode. When stimulating within skin which had been subjected to surface anaesthesia, no response occurred, but when stimulating at the border of surface-anaesthetized skin, the perfusion increase extended 2 +/- 1 mm (mean +/- S.D.) into anaesthetized skin. 4. The results show that the perfusion increase must have been due in part to impulse conduction to, and release of transmitters from, axon endings terminating in skin outside the contact area of the probe. It is concluded that the area of perfusion increase corresponds to the size of the receptive fields of afferent polymodal C fibres.

Evaluation of port wine stain perfusion by laser Doppler imaging and thermography before and after argon laser treatment

Thirteen patients with port wine stains (PWS) were treated with argon laser therapy. Before and at different points in time following treatment, skin blood perfusion and temperature were mapped with laser Doppler imaging and thermography. In nine patients no elevation in blood perfusion was observed in the PWS in comparison with the surrounding normal skin before treatment. In the remaining four patients a significantly (p less than 0.01) higher blood flow was recorded within the PWS. Immediately after treatment nine patients showed elevated perfusion within the PWS. During the first two days following treatment, all patients showed a gradually decreasing hyperperfusion in the borderline between the PWS lesion and surrounding skin. Immediately after treatment 10 patients had a significantly (p less than 0.01) higher temperature in the PWS than in normal skin. During the first 24 h following treatment, an elevated perfusion was in general accompanied by a tissue temperature increase. Three and a half months after argon laser treatment, three patients showed excellent clinical results with no remaining PWS spots or scarring. Two of these patients had had both elevated perfusion and temperature in the PWS prior to treatment.

Induction of social dominance by L-dopa treatment in Arctic charr

The effect of L-dopa on social dominance was studied in the juvenile Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). L-dopa is the immediate precursor of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that has been connected with aggressive behaviour in fish as well as mammals. Arctic charr were placed in pairs. One individual in each pair was given L-dopa orally, while the other was given vehicle. The results showed that 18 out of 22 fish given 10 mg L-dopa kg-1 became dominant (p = 0.004, binomial test). A higher dose of L-dopa (200 mg kg-1) induced dyskinesia. L-dopa was found to cause a dose-dependent increase in the brain levels of dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC, a major dopamine metabolite), as well as an increase in the DOPAC/dopamine ratio (an index of dopaminergic activity).

Changes in brain serotonergic activity during hierarchic behavior in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.) are socially induced

The experiment was performed in two phases. During the first phase (phase 1) the dominance hierarchy was determined in 4 groups of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.), each group consisting of 4 fish. Phase 2 was started by rearranging phase 1 fish into 4 new groups. Group 1 consisted of previously dominant fish and groups 2, 3 and 4 of fish that previously held rank 2, 3 and 4, respectively. After phase 2 telencephalon and brain stem were analyzed with regard to their contents of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), the principle metabolite of 5-HT. No correlation was found between the social rank (measured as dominance index) during phase 1 and the brain serotonergic activity (measured as the ratio 5-HIAA/5-HT) determined after phase 2. However, most important, the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio was significantly correlated with the last experienced social rank, i.e. that acquired during phase 2. These results shows that the difference in brain serotonergic activity between dominant and subordinate fish develops through social interactions. Further, we found that previous subordinate experience inhibited aggressive behavior, an effect which, in the light of available information on stress and 5-HT, could be related to the increase in brain serotonergic activity. We hypothesize that stress induces an increased serotonergic activity which in turn inhibits the neuronal circuitry which mediates aggressive behavior.

The adenosine receptor blocker aminophylline increases anoxic ethanol excretion in crucian carp

By depressing energy consumption, anoxia-tolerant animals are thought to compensate for a reduced ability to produce energy during anoxia. Adenosine is an inhibitory neuromodulator in vertebrates and, hence, has the potential ability to depress energy consumption. Ethanol is the main metabolic end product in anoxic Carassius, and the present study shows that the rate of ethanol excretion in anoxic crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.) can be increased threefold by treatment with the adenosine receptor antagonist aminophylline (75 mg/kg). By contrast, the same dose of aminophylline did not increase the rate of routine oxygen consumption during normoxia. It is hypothesized that adenosine acts as a metabolic depressant during anoxia in crucian carp.

Influence of fibre diameter and probe geometry on the measuring depth of laser Doppler flowmetry in the gastrointestinal application

The measuring depth of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) was studied in isolated segments of feline small intestine, using five probes having different fibre geometry, fibre core diameter and fibre centre separation. Recordings were made on the mucosal side at constant systemic blood pressure and venous outflow from the bowel segment. The insertion of a layer of unperfused intestine (average thickness 2.4 mm), between the probe and the perfused bowel wall, reduced the output signal from the flowmeter to an average of 42% of the initial value when a probe with large diameter fibres (700 microns) was used. No LD-signal was obtained through the unperfused tissue layer using the probes with small core diameter fibres (120 microns). Application of a mirror at the serosal surface opposite to the probe, resulted in an average increase of the output signal by 50% using the large fibre diameter probe, whereas no increase was observed with the small fibre probe. Probes based on intermediate fibre diameter and fibre centre separations, gave intermediate results in both experiments. It is concluded that the measuring depth of laser Doppler flowmetry in the gastrointestinal application is highly dependent on the fibre diameter and geometry of the probe. It is possible that, by taking into account these factors, probes may be constructed that are suitable for superficial and transmural measurements.

Release of inhibitory neurotransmitters in response to anoxia in turtle brain

In mammals a massive release of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, occurring within a few minutes of anoxia/ischemia, is thought to be a major mediator of anoxic brain damage. In contrast to the mammalian brain, the turtle brain is exceptionally anoxia tolerant. Using intracerebral microdialysis in turtle brain striatum, we have found a large increase in the extracellular level of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid during anoxia, reaching 90 times the normoxic level after 240 min, whereas no substantial release of glutamate occurred. Moreover, the inhibitory neurotransmitters/neuromodulators glycine and taurine also displayed increased extracellular levels during anoxia. Increased extracellular levels of inhibitory amino acids may be one of the hitherto elusive mechanisms that underlie the decreased activity and energy consumption characterizing the anoxic turtle brain.

Decreased norepinephrine and epinephrine contents in chromaffin tissue of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to diethyldithiocarbamate and amylxanthate

1. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were exposed to 0.5 or 5.0 microM of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) or amylxanthate (AX) for 24 hr. 2. Both DDC (0.5-5.0 microM) and AX (5.0 microM) significantly decreased norepinephrine and epinephrine levels in the head kidney as well as the quotients epinephrine/dopamine and/or norepinephrine/dopamine. 3. The results probably reflect an inhibition of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of norepinephrine and epinephrine from dopamine. 4. It is concluded that an exposure of fish to these complexing agents could disturb physiological processes controlled by catecholamines. 5. Diethyldithiocarbamate may prove to be a valuable pharmacological tool for the study of catecholamine function in fish.

Changes in turtle brain neurotransmitters and related substances during anoxia

Freshwater turtles (Pseudemys scripta elegans) were exposed to 0.5-13 h of anoxia at 25 degrees C, whereupon the brain concentrations of 14 amino acid and monoamine neurotransmitters and related substances were measured. Monoamines are of particular interest, because their synthesis and (in part) degradation require molecular oxygen. During anoxia, the level of the inhibitory transmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) increased (2.3-fold after 13 h) and the level of the excitatory transmitter Glu fell. Furthermore, anoxia caused increases in the levels of Ala (14 times after 13 h), Tau, Gly, and Ser, whereas the Gln level fell. The increase in Ala is likely to inhibit pyruvate kinase, thereby mediating the decreased rate of glycolysis seen after prolonged anoxia. The increased level of Tau might protect the turtle brain against Ca2(+)-mediated anoxic damage. The monoamine metabolites almost vanished within a few hours of anoxia, indicating a halt in monoamine synthesis and breakdown, and the dopamine level fell. Nevertheless, serotonin, norepinephrine, and epinephrine levels were maintained during 13 h of anoxia, at levels extremely high compared with mammals, suggesting adaptive mechanisms such as stockpiling. It is hypothesized that the pattern of change in levels of amino acids (notably GABA and Glu) and monoamines is of functional significance, because it promotes the decrease in brain activity and energy consumption seen in anoxic turtles.

Turnover of serotonin in brain of an anoxia-tolerant vertebrate, the crucian carp

Serotonin (5-HT) is a neurotransmitter in the vertebrate brain. Estimates of 5-HT turnover times range between 1 h (mammals) and 10 h (goldfish). Synthesis and catabolism of 5-HT are dependent on molecular oxygen, hence, 5-HT turnover comes to a halt during anoxia. Nevertheless, a few vertebrates, such as the crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.), tolerate anoxia for several weeks. To assess the ability of the crucian carp brain to tolerate a stop in 5-HT turnover during anoxia, it is essential to know its normoxic rate of 5-HT turnover. The turnover of 5-HT was estimated in different brain regions of winter-acclimatized crucian carp held in normoxia at 8 degrees C using two different methods, i.e., 1) by measuring the increase seen in 5-HT after monoamine oxidase inhibition (by pargyline), and 2) by measuring the rate of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) accumulation, after the conversion of 5-HTP to 5-HT had been inhibited (by N-m-hydroxybenzylhydrazine). Both methods suggested similar turnover rates (approximately 10-20 pmol/g h) and turnover times (1-3 days). This is probably the slowest 5-HT turnover ever measured in a vertebrate (less than 1/100 of that of mammals). The slow 5-HT turnover could be explained by a high degree of recycling of the same 5-HT molecules, in combination with a decreased turnover at low temperatures. Moreover, the slow 5-HT turnover might be a prerequisite for preserving the functional integrity of the 5-HT system during anoxia.

Long-term anoxia in crucian carp: changes in the levels of amino acid and monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain, catecholamines in chromaffin tissue, and liver glycogen

Crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.), which are extremely anoxia-tolerant, were exposed to 17 days of anoxia at 8 degrees C. One group of fish was transferred to normoxic water for 1–8 h immediately after the anoxic period. All the eight amino acids measured in brain (including four putative neurotransmitters) were more or less strongly affected by anoxia. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) displayed a nearly fivefold increase during anoxia. It is hypothesized that the increased level of this inhibitory transmitter, maybe in combination with the decrease seen in excitatory amino acids (glutamate and aspartate), causes a lowered brain activity and, hence, is a key factor behind the decrease in physical activity and systemic energy metabolism seen in anoxic Carassius. The brain levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine were remarkably well preserved after anoxia (although their synthesis is oxygen-dependent), suggesting adaptive mechanisms. However, anoxia reduced the norepinephrine level in kidney (chromaffin tissue) by 92% and, in contrast to previous results on shorter anoxic periods (3–7 days), the peripheral catecholamine store showed little sign of recovery during the subsequent normoxia. Anoxia was found to deplete the liver glycogen store severely, and the few fish that died after 15–17 days of anoxia contained no detectable liver glycogen.

Effects of anoxia on catecholamine levels in brain and kidney of the crucian carp

Catecholamine synthesis requires O2. Crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.), which are extremely anoxia tolerant, were exposed to anoxia for 76 or 160 h. The brain levels of dopamine and norepinephrine (no epinephrine was found in brain) remained relatively constant even after nearly 1 wk of anoxia, indicating very well-functioning transmitter reuptake mechanisms and/or the absence of O2-independent degradation. In contrast, in the kidney (which contains chromaffin tissue), the catecholamine content (at least norepinephrine) decreased by 22-60% after 160 h of anoxia. Moreover, when anoxic crucian carps were put in normoxic water for approximately 40 min, the kidney catecholamine levels increased by 50-370%, whereas no significant effect was seen in brain. Thus, in the kidney, all that was lost during nearly 1 wk of anoxia seemed to be regained in less than 40 min of normoxia. This might reflect an adaptive strategy. Because of the limited possibility of recovering catecholamines that have been released into the bloodstream, the crucian carp chromaffin tissue might have become very good at taking the opportunities given by short contacts with O2 to rapidly renew its catecholamine store.

Effects of disulfiram and coprine on rat brain tryptophan hydroxylation in vivo

The effects of disulfiram and coprine on brain tryptophan hydroxylation, and on the brain-levels of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid, were studied in 45 and 235 days old rats. Both drugs were found to affect the parameters measured. Disulfiram increased the rate of tryptophan hydroxylation and the serotonin level in young rats, while these parameters appeared to be unaffected in old disulfiram-treated rats. In contrast, coprine increased the rate of tryptophan hydroxylation and possibly also the serotonin level in old rats while no significant effects were seen in young coprine-treated rats. Regarding the 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid concentration, this appeared to be increased by disulfiram in both age-groups, while no significant effects were found with coprine. The lack of similarity in the action of disulfiram and coprine, which are both potent aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors, suggests that the effects found were not caused by an impaired metabolism of monoamine-derived biogenic aldehydes.