Post-mortem modifications of the specific activity of some brain enzymes

The post-mortem stability of some brain enzymes was studied. Over the time period under examination, the cytoplasmic enzymes investigated underwent a decisive decay, hexokinase being the most labile and acylphosphatase the most stable. On the other hand, structured activities such as Na+, K+-ATPase and Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase showed an apparent transitory increase. The differences in post-mortem stability of soluble enzymes could be ascribed, at least in part, to their different susceptibility toward proteolytic activities, as suggested by the electrophoretic results.