AUTORADIOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION STUDY OF DOPA-C-14 IN CAT BRAIN

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 220  (2) , 287-296
Abstract
The penetration and distribution in various areas of cat brain of 14C-DL-dopa and/or its derivatives was studied by autoradiography. The highest activity was found, 1 h after administration, in the caudate nucleus, putamen and nucleus accumbens, while hypothalamus, substantia nigra, substantia grisea pericentralis, tuberculum olfactorium, raphe nuclei and nucleus interpeduncularis showed lower levels of labeling. Very low activity was detected in the cerebral cortex and in the other gray and white matter structures of brain. After pretreatment with a peripheral dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor or high dosage of cold dopa, the distribution pattern was not modified, but the levels of radioactivity were greatly enhanced. The localization of the drug in dopaminergic structures and other areas of the brain was discussed.