The concentration of dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and some of their acid metabolites in the brain of genetically diabetic rats.

This is a report of the concentrations of DA, DOPAC, HVA, 5-HT, and 5-HIAA in the brain of spontaneously diabetic male Wistar rats. These rats showed a marked increase in blood and urine glucose, polydipsia, polyuria, and weight loss that had an onset 11-23 days earlier. Controls were litter mates with no hyperglycemia, glucosuria or weight reduction. The spontaneously diabetic rats showed a significant reduction of DOPAC in the striatum, and DOPAC, HVA, and 5HIAA in the olfactory tubercles (to 69, 61, 62, and 65% of their respective controls). No changes were found in the concentrations of DA or 5-HT. Thus the spontaneously diabetic rats showed a marked reduction in striatal and mesolimbic DA and mesolimbic 5-HT metabolism. This reduction in metabolism could be the consequence of a reduction in the formation of DA and 5-HT.