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Related Experiment Videos

Region-specific decrease of dopamine and its metabolites in brains of mice given ergotamine

N M Filipov1, F N Thompson, M Tsunoda

  • 1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA.

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A
|January 29, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Ergotamine tartrate significantly reduced dopamine levels in mouse brains, particularly in the striatum and hypothalamus. These findings suggest decreased dopamine synthesis following ergot alkaloid exposure.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Ergot alkaloids (EA) are known to affect adrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic systems.
  • Ergotamine (ET), an ergopeptine alkaloid, is a prominent EA with complex neurochemical interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the regional brain neurotransmitter alterations induced by ergotamine tartrate (ET) administration.
  • To determine the dose-dependent effects of ET on key neurotransmitters and their metabolites in specific brain regions.

Main Methods:

  • Male BALB/c mice received daily subcutaneous injections of ergotamine tartrate at varying doses for 10 days.
  • Regional brain neurotransmitter and metabolite concentrations (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and their metabolites) were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

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  • Organ weights and plasma prolactin levels were also assessed.

    • Main Results:

    • Ergotamine tartrate significantly reduced dopamine concentrations in the striatum and hypothalamus across all tested doses.
    • Dopamine metabolites, homovanillic acid (HVA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), were markedly reduced in the hypothalamus and, to a lesser extent, in the striatum at higher doses.
    • Norepinephrine, serotonin, and their metabolites, as well as prolactin levels, remained largely unaffected, except for an increase in cerebellar MHPG at the highest dose and a decrease in liver weight at intermediate doses.

    Conclusions:

    • The primary effects of ergotamine tartrate were observed on dopamine metabolism within the corpus striatum and hypothalamus.
    • The observed reductions in dopamine and its metabolites suggest a decrease in dopamine synthesis in these critical brain regions.
    • These findings highlight the specific neurochemical impact of ergotamine on dopaminergic pathways.