Stress and activity correlated changes of hydroxylase cofactor concentrations in brain tissues and blood

A significant inverse correlation between individual hydroxylase cofactor concentration and spontaneous locomotor activity exists in male rat striatum in the light, but not the dark, phase of the diurnal cycle. No relationship exists in the nucleus accumbens. Electric shock stress significantly elevated plasma and hypothalamic cofactor concentration and decreased cofactor concentration in the raphe nuclei without significantly changing it in the striatum and the hippocampus. Alterations of hydroxylase cofactor concentration in brain and blood under stress manipulation may have its functional significance and clinical implications.