The effects of reserpine upon body weight, brain weight and brain indoleamine stores in maturing mice

1. 1. Mice of 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks of age have been injected with the amine depletor reserpine and then measured for changes in body weight, brain weight, and indoleamine stores. 2. 2. Immature mice showed a transient loss of brain weight and a long term loss of body weight. 3. 3. Onset of drug action as reflected in the brains 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) stores was slower in 1 day olds than in later ages. 4. 4. Recovery of 5-HT levels was faster in younger mice while recovery of 5-HIAA levels was faster in older animals. 5. 5. It is suggested that 5-HT recovery is related to differences in 5-HT synthesis at various ages and 5-HIAA recovery is related to the maturity of the brain's acid transport system.