Dopamine activity changes in cerebral cortex in the course of experimental acute pancreatitis

Dopamine (DA) is biogenic amine that in the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system plays an important role as a neurotransmitter and neuromediator. Dopamine neurones in CNS are responsible for regulating motor and emotional processes, higher psychological activities and hormone secretion. Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a general disease condition caused by pancreas extrasecretory cell damage which leads to self-digestion. One of its results is encephalopathy in consequence of shock symptoms, intravascular clotting, brain tissue ischaemia etc. The study has aimed at analysis of changes in the level of DA in rats' cerebral cortex in the course of experimental AP. The experiment was carried out on 102 rats. They were divided into three groups: Z - healthy (12), K - control (30), OP - experimental (60). The AP was induced in OP group according to Heinkel and Aho method. In K group the needle was only inserted into the common bile-pancreatic duct to analyse the effects of mechanical damage. The activity of pancreatic enzymes was determined to estimate the intensity of pancreatitis. The dopamine level was measured in rats << brain samples and to do so, the Brodie method modified by Chang was used. The statistical analysis was carried out.

The greatest changes of DA level during experimental AP were noticed during the first 24 hours of experiment and they were in statistically significant way correlated with the level of lipase and amylase in blood serum. Peak DA concentration was detected between 6th and 12th hour of experiment.