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Resulting from literature data concerning interactions between catecholamines and Substance P (SP) the influence of SP on the activity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT) was studied in rat adrenals. Intraperitoneal application of SP (500 micrograms/kg) to male Wistar rats 15 minutes before decapitation induced a decrease of PNMT activity in the adrenals, while DBH activity remained unchanged. After incubation of adrenals with SP (10(-6) mol/l) a decrease of activity of both PNMT and DBH was observed. The experimental results are discussed in connection with a normalizing function of SP during stress induced disorders.

Based on a series of known facts on clinical findings and changes in the metabolism of chronic alcoholics and delirious people the possible pathomechanism of cerebral imbalances is presented according to a synopsis. The clinical symptomatology, in particular vegetative symptoms and the coordination of reflexes - to which more attention should be paid than has been up to now - make delirium appear a diencephalic illness, the sympathicotonic and ergotropic development of which together with a preponderance of noradrenergic-adrenergic mechanisms, remains unexplained to this day.

The enzymatic activities of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) and phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PNMT) were determined in adrenals of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and controls of the Wistar-Kyoto-strain (WKY) of different ages. In SHR of all examined age groups (10, 14 and 26 weeks) lower enzyme activities were found than in WKY rats of the same ages. That was more evident for PNMT than for DBH, SHR show a clear asymmetric distribution or PNMT with higher values in the left adrenals. This concerns 10, 14 and 26-week-old animals. An asymmetric distribution of DBH with higher values in the right adrenals were shown only in 14 and 26 weeks old rats. The asymmetric distribution was generally more obvious in SHR. This fact could be related to changes in the control of the connections between hypophysis and adrenals during development of hypertension.