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Perinatal brain serotonin metabolism in rats malnourished in utero
G Manjarréz1, G Chagoya, J Hernández
1Hospital de Pediatría, IMSS, Centro Médico Nacional, México, DF.
The fetal brain serotonin metabolism has been studied in two types of gestationally malnourished rats: protein-calorie and after ligation of one branch of the uterine artery. The results showed an elevation of L-tryptophan and serotonin content and an enhancement of tryptophan-5-hydroxylase activity in the malnourished fetal brain, continuing up to day 10 of postnatal life. The possible implications of these early changes of the serotoninergic system in brain differentiation and a lasting change in tryptophan-5-hydroxylase kinetics are proposed for further study.
The fetal brain serotonin metabolism has been studied in two types of gestationally malnourished rats: protein-calorie and after ligation of one branch of the uterine artery. The results showed an elevation of L-tryptophan and serotonin content and an enhancement of tryptophan-5-hydroxylase activity in the malnourished fetal brain, continuing up to day 10 of postnatal life. The possible implications of these early changes of the serotoninergic system in brain differentiation and a lasting change in tryptophan-5-hydroxylase kinetics are proposed for further study.