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In baboons the right cerebral hemisphere was embolised by a shower of microemboli, immediately followed by one large embolus designed to occlude the middle cerebral artery (MCA). One hour after embolism a significant, though small, reduction in blood flow and oxygen consumption of the embolised hemisphere was recorded, at which time the animals were killed and brain monoamines measured. Dopamine was reduced in the ipsilateral caudate nucleus, the reported site of maximal ischaemic damage in this model. Dopamine levels were increased in frontal and occipital grey matter sampled from areas surrounding the occluded MCA territory and in similar brain areas of the opposite non-embolised hemisphere. Noradrenaline was increased in grey matter from both cerebral hemispheres, as well as subcortical structures bilaterally. Brain 5-hydroxytryptamine levels were unaltered, but increased 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in cisternal cerebrospinal fluid suggested transient alteration in 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism after embolism. The effects of cerebral embolism on brain monoamine metabolism appear to be different from the effects of permanent surgical occlusion of major cerebral vessels. The bilaterality of effects after unilateral hemispheric embolism might be related to diaschisis. The mechanisms of the observed changes, as well as their relevance to the progression of cerebral ischaemia and the complications associated with cerebral embolism, still require to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosine 3',5'-cycle monophosphate (cyclic AMP) (0.5 mg/kg) was infused into the carotid artery of baboons anesthesized with sodium pentobarbital, causing a biphasic increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and reduction in cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) associated in each phase with stimulation of cerebral metabolism evidenced by increased cerebral oxygen consumption (COMRO2) and cerebral glucose consumption (CMRG1). Intracarotid dibutyryl cyclic AMP (0.5 mg/kg) caused a monophasic increase in CBF and reduction of CVR but failed to alter cerebral metabolism. This may be due to its rapid removal from the circulation with ineffective passage across the blood-brain barrier since intracisternal infusion of dibutyryl cyclic AMP caused sustained increase in CBF, CMRO2 and CMRG1 and reduction in CVR. Intracarotid AMP (0.4 mg/kg) and adenosine (0.3 mg/kg) caused an immediate and more marked increase in CBF and decrease in CVR unassociated with cerebral metabolic change making it unlikely that the observed effects of cyclic AMP can be attributed to its breakdown products. Cyclic AMP or its dibutyryl derivative may alter cerebral metabolism secondary to neuronal activation but increase in glucose/oxygen utilization ratio after intracarotid cyclic AMP and intracisternal dibutytyl cyclic AMP also suggests an influence on enzymatic regulation of glucose metabolism.

In a series of 11 dogs, selective stimulation of the carotid body receptors by hypoxic, hypercapnic, acidotic blood produces bradycardia, an increase of coronary flow, and greater release of norepinephrine from the heart; the coronary resistances are decreased. The same stimulation after vagotomy is no longer accompanied by bradycardia; the decrease of coronary resistance is less marked and the release of norephinephrine is increased.

In a series of 7 dogs, selective stimulation of the carotid body receptors by hypoxic blood produces an increase of coronary flow and greater release of norepinephrine from the heart; the increase of coronary flow is less marked and the release of norepinephrine is increased after vagotomy. Myocardial norepinephrine content is decreased by carotid body stimulation.

Seizure activity as a component of the ischemic process possibly responsible for monoamine changes described in the gerbil stroke model was the subject of this study. Abnormal motor activity suggestive of seizures developed one to three hours after unilateral ligation of the common carotid artery in approximately 50% of gerbils that exhibited signs of stroke. Reduction of cortical levels of dopamine and norepinephrine was observed only when seizures occurred in association with stroke. The levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine were reduced bilaterally in animals with and without signs of stroke and were reduced further in animals with stroke plus seizures. Further study is needed to establish whether the catecholamine changes associated with ischemia-induced seizures are primary and causative or secondary to seizure activity itself. In the ischemic brain, 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism appears disordered independent of seizure activity. Seizure activity must be taken into account when the mechanisms of disordered monoamine metabolism are being examined in the gerbil stroke model.