THE INTERRELATION OF HYPOTHERMIA AND DEPLETION OF NORADRENALINE, DOPAMINE AND 5‐HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE FROM BRAIN BY RESERPINE, <i>p</i>‐CHLOROPHENYLALANINE AND α‐METHYLMETATYROSINE

Abstract

It was shown in 1955 by Pletscher, Shore & Brodie that the sedative and autonomic effects of reserpine in animals were associated with the depletion of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and catecholamines from central and peripheral stores. Because of its lack of specificity reserpine is an unsatisfactory tool for distinguishing between the effects of depletion of noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (DA) on the one hand and 5-HT on the other. Agents are now available which will deplete either catecholamines or 5-HT specifically and we have compared the effects of these depleting agents on body tempera- ture with that of reserpine.