Amitriptyline-induced morphological alterations of the rat blood-brain barrier

Amitriptyline is known to increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier but the morphological basis of this increase has not been studied. As catecholamines can influence pinocytosis in dog peripheral blood vessels, the effect of amitriptyline on the pinocytotic activity of blood brain microvessels was studied. Amitriptyline, 34 mg.kg-1 i.p., was injected to rats and the parietal cortex of control and treated animals was prepared for ultrastructural study. Pinocytotic vesicles in endothelial cells were quantified. Amitriptyline significantly increased the density of pinocytotic vesicles in capillary endothelial cells. No other morphological changes occurred after amitriptyline treatment. We conclude that the increase in blood-brain barrier permeability due to amitriptyline may be ascribed at least in part to an increase of pinocytotic activity in brain capillary endothelial cells.