Research Article
Age and Heat Stress Related Changes in Monoamine Contents and Cholinesterase Activity in Some Central Nervous System Regions of Albino Rat Newborns

Osama M. Ahmed, M. Bahgat and R.G. Ahmed

International Journal of Zoological Research, 2007, 3(2), 65-76.

Abstract

The normal monoamine [norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT)] contents and cholinestrase (chE) activity were significantly and gradually increased with age progress between postnatal days 7 and 21 in cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla oblongata and spinal cord of rat newborns. The daily exposure of the newborns to 40±1°C for 2 h induced deteriorated effects and the withdrawal period of 7 days failed to return these altered variables to normal levels. On the other hand, the high temperature exerted its most potent decreased effect on monoamine contents at 21 days old. This decrease may be attributed to the elevated activity of monoamine oxidase and/or the decreased activity of the key enzymes responsible for monoamine synthesis. The chE activity exhibited different effects in the tested CNS regions as a result of high temperature exposure; the enzyme activity was decreased markedly at days 7, 14 and 21 in cerebellum and medulla oblongata and lowered only at days 7 and 14 in cerebrum and at day 14 in spinal cord. The subsequent withdrawal for 7 days beyond day 21 produced marked weakening of effect of high temperature exposure on monoamine contents in all examined CNS regions except NE and 5-HT contents in cerebellum and DA level in medulla oblongata. In spite of this attenuation, the values recorded in the withdrawal group were still significantly lower than the normal levels. On the other hand, the chE activity became more deleteriously affected at day 28 in the treated CNS regions except in the medulla oblongata where it was profoundly ameliorated after the withdrawal period.

ASCI-ID: 46-61

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