Effects of reserpine on recovery rates after inhibition of monoamine oxidase in different regions of mouse brain.
Adult mice were injected once with the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor pargyline, every 3 days with the amine storage depletor reserpine, or with both drugs. Serotonin content of brainstem and cerebrum was increased after pargyline, decreased after reserpine, and showed intermediate values following administration of both drugs. MAO activity after pargyline recovered in a time-dependent fashion, with recovery rates of hypothalamus greater than cerebellum greater than cerebrum greater than brainstem. After reserpine, recovery rates of MAO were less in hypothalamus and cerebellum, suggesting that the amount of MAO synthesized may be related to the level of substrates in these regions.