Differential effects of d-amphetamine on brain acetylcholine in young, adult and geriatric rats.

M.R. VASKO, L.E. DOMINO and E.F. DOMINO, Differential effects of d-amphetamine on brain acetylcholine in young, adult and geriatric rats, European J. Pharmacol. 27 (1974) 145-147. Varying doses of d-amphetamine were given i.p. to young (28 day old), adult (approximately 90 day old), and geriatric rats (approximately 2 years old). 30 min after injection, rats were sacrificed and ACH extracted and assayed by pyrolysis gas-liquid chromatography. Total brain acetylcholine (ACh) levels were not significantly different among the control animals in all three groups, d-Amphetamine, however, decreased total levels of ACh in young and geriatric rats without changing levels in adult animals.The changes in young rats were dose-related. These results suggest an important difference in brain cholinergic mechanisms depending upon age.