These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: The level of N-acetylserotonin and melatonin in the brain of male rats: diurnal variations and effects of pinealectomy.
    Author: Pang SF, Tang PL, Yu HS, Yip MK.
    Journal: J Exp Zool; 1982 Feb 20; 219(3):271-6. PubMed ID: 7199559.
    Abstract:
    The levels of N-acetylserotonin and melatonin (n-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) in the rat brain were studied. Male rats were housed under a photoperiod of 12L:12D. After 2 weeks, the rats were sacrificed in light or in dark at 4-hour intervals round the clock. Brain melatonin and N-acetylserotonin were extracted by chloroform at greater than pH 10 and ethyl acetate at less than pH 3 respectively and quantified by radioimmunoassay. There was a circadian rhythm of brain melatonin (F less than 0.05) with a nadir at 1600 h and a zenith at 0400 h. Brain N-acetylserotonin, unlike brain melatonin, demonstrated no diurnal variation. Effects of pinealectomy on brain N-acetylserotonin and melatonin were also studied. Male rats were housed as noted. After 2 weeks, they were pinealectomized or shamoperated. The animals were killed in light or in dark 1 week after operation. The levels of brain melatonin at 2400 h and 0400 h were significantly lowered (P less than 0.05) following pineal removal. Pinealectomy, however, has no observable effect on the level of brain N-acetylserotonin. Our findings suggest that 1) there is a diurnal rhythm of brain melatonin, 2) the elevation of brain melatonin in the dark period is dependent on the pineal, 3) brain N-acetylserotonin has no diurnal variation, and 4) brain N-acetylserotonin is not affected by pinealectomy.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]