Effect of acute hypoxia with hypercapnia on the content of monoamines in symmetrical brain structures of the BALB/c male mice

Abstract

The changes in activity of monoaminergic systems of both the right and the left brain hemispheres of the BALB/c male mice after an acute hypoxia with hypercapnia were studied. The concentrations of dopamine, serotonin and their metabolites dihydroxyphenylacetic, homovanilic and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acids were measured by HPLC in the brain cortex, hippocampus and striatum of the right and the left hemispheres. The more high concentration of serotonin was revealed only in the cortex of the left hemisphere in control mice without hypoxia with hypercapnia. The asymmetry in dopamine level was not registered in all structures studied. Acute hypoxia with hypercapnia decreased the dopamine level in the striatum and the serotonin level both in the hippocampus and the brain cortex. The dopamine metabolites level was reduced in the striatum and in the brain cortex of hypoxed mice: both metabolites in the right brain cortex and only dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the left brain cortex. Serotonin metabolism was decreased in all brain structures studied after hypoxia with hypercapnia in mice. Therefore, serotoninergic system of the brain is more sensitive to acute hypoxia with hypercapnia than dopaminergic system.