Biogenic amine metabolism in the central nervous system of 9 children with Tourette syndrome was evaluated by quantitation of their metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid by a gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method. Homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG) were measured in CSF before and after oral administration of pro...

We describe an isocratic liquid-chromatographic method with amperometric detection for determination of serotonin by rapid sample preparation. Platelet-poor plasma and platelets were injected after a single deproteinization step with perchloric acid. Addition of sodium borohydride to whole blood avoids oxidation of serotonin during the deproteinization step without any chromatographic interfere...

Impulsivity is a trait related to inhibitory control which is expressed in a range of behaviours. Impulsive individuals show a decreased ability to tolerate delay of reinforcement, and more impulsive behaviour has been linked to decreased levels of serotonin and dopamine in a number of species. In domestic dogs, impulsivity is implicated in problem behaviours that result from a lack of self con...

BACKGROUND Hepatic metastases of carcinoid tumors cause incapacitating symptoms, but are usually diffuse and therefore unresectable. In this article we evaluate our experiences with local treatment techniques in the management of carcinoid patients with hepatic metastases and failing systemic treatment. METHODS Fifteen consecutive carcinoid patients (11 men and 4 women; median age 60 years; r...

In Parkinson's disease (PD), several studies have detected an impaired serotonin (5-HT) pathway, likely affecting both motor and non-motor domains. However, the precise impact of 5-HT impairment is far from established. Here, we have used a HPLC chromatographic method, in a homogenous cohort (n = 35) of non fluctuating, non dyskinetic PD patients, to assess the concentration of 5-HT and its met...

In the present research the role of gender in MDMA-induced hyperthermia and serotonin depletion is studied by injecting male and female male rats with MDMA or saline 3 times (i.p.) with 3h interval at dosages of 0.3, 1, 3 or 9 mg/kg at an ambient temperature of 25°C. The acute hyperthermia following the higher dosages was much stronger in males than in females. After the highest dose, body temp...

The aim of the present study was to determine the levels of monoamines, GABA and adenosine in the brain, heart and haemolymph of the land snail Helix lucorum and in the brain, heart and blood of lizard Agama stellio stellio during long-term hibernation. We measured levels of the monoamines serotonin (5-HT) and its main metabolite 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA), dopamine (DA) and its met...

BACKGROUND Postulating that serotonin (5-HT), released from smoking-activated platelets could be involved in smoking-induced vascular modifications, we studied its catabolism in a series of 115 men distributed as current smokers (S), never smokers (NS) and former smokers (FS) who had stopped smoking for a mean of 13 years. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS 5-HT, monoamine oxidase (MAO-B) activit...

BACKGROUND Sepiapterin reductase (SR) deficiency is a rare inherited disorder of neurotransmitter metabolism; less than 25 cases have been described in the literature so far. METHODS We describe the clinical history and extensive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and urine examination of two Greek siblings with the diagnosis of SR deficiency. The diagnosis was confirmed by enzyme activity measurement...

We studied the effects of ethanol on concentrations of noradrenaline (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites in rat hippocampus and striatum. Ethanol (2 or 4 g/kg, po, from a 20% aqueous solution) was administered daily to male Wistar rats (4-13 per group) for 30 days and animals were sacrificed 30 min or 48 h after the last administration. Monoamines were measured by HPL...