The serotonin and prolactin content of the blood in women with idiopathic galactorrhoea.

In two groups of women--one group of 12 normal-mammary-gland controls and another group of 10 idiopathic galactorrhoea patients--we determined the blood concentration of serotonin and prolactin. The obtained data show no significant differences between the studied groups either in serotonin or prolactin levels i.e., serotonin is not implied in the pathogeny of idiopathic galactorrhoea. The data are confirming our previous results concerning the functional correlations between the serotonin system and prolactin release, as well as the data obtained by other authors on the normal values of prolactin in idiopathic galactorrhoea.

The influence of malathion on the brain serotonin and reproductive function in rats.

By researches carried out in adult female rats we followed the effect of chronic administration of malathion on the serotonin level from hypothalamus, rhynencephalon, mesencephalon and cerebral cortex and on the hypophysio-ovarian system. The obtained results showed that malathion produces: 1) the increase of cerebral serotonin level through the active phases of the gonadal cycle (proestrus + oestrus); 2) the increase of the percent incidence of the gonadal active phases; 3) the decrease of the LH synthesis through the oestral cycle; 4) the increase of the FSH release during the active phases and the decrease of the LH release in the inactive phases of the ovarian cycle. The data show that malathion influences the reproductive function both by its cellular toxic action and by affecting the encephalic regulatory serotoninergic, besides acetylcholinergic, mechanism of the reproductive functions.

Pattern of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood biogenic amines and of the CSF, blood and urine amino acids as pathogenetic ground of the senile depressive illness.

A lot of over 60 atherosclerotics with clinical manifestations of senile depressive illness was studied comparatively with a lot of subjects of the same age with essential arterial hypertension (EAH). As concerns the behaviour of the catecholamine content in CSF and blood, the total catecholamines are approxiately equal in the two lots, but with a clear difference of the catecholamine fractions. The CSF catecholamines behaviour in old atherosclerotics is characterized by the presence of increased values of noradrenaline (NA) and of adrenaline (A), with increased statistical significance, but without modifications of the adrenaline percentage (A %) from the total catecholamines, comparatively to the values found in normal subjects. The serotonin (5-HT) content of the CSF in men with atherosclerotic senile depressive illness was lower even than in subjects with coronary atherosclerosis. In atherosclerosis protides modifications precede the histologic changes. In CSF, GLU, ALA, TYR increase in old subjects. In blood, GLU, ALA, TYR, HIS, LEU, SER increase in the same subjects. ARG decreases with age. THR is higher in men than in women. In the urine of all the men as well as of all the women of more than 60 years, GLN and ALA have increased values. LYS increases with age. GLN and ARG are higher in men than in women.

The influence of bufotenin on the feeding behavior and cerebral serotonin content in rats.

By researches carried out in male adult rats (Wistar), the influence of the intraperitoneally injected bufotenin (5 mg/kg b.w. active substance in saline solution) was followed on: I--feeding behavior; II--the serotonin concentration in hypothalamus, rhinencephalon, mesencephalon and sensorimotor cerebral cortex. The obtained results show that bufotenin influences the feeding behavior by reducing the motor functions. Its action depends on the physiological state of the animal: by increasing the alimentary motivation the rats can escape the bufotenin influence, showing a normal behavior; bufotenin does not influence the sensorials, the natural dispositions and the excitability level of the feeding and satiety hypothalamic centers. Bufotenin increases serotonin concentration only in the mesencephalic region, but not in the other studied regions. The results are interpreted as a primary bufotenin action on the serotoninic vasoconstrictive receptors at the mesencephalic level, thus disturbing the serotonin-releasing processes and possibly other chemical neurotransmitters.

Serotonin through pregnancy. Comparative researches in different species and in mankind.

By spectrofluorimetric method there was followed the blood and cerebral serotonin content in different species of mammalians: in 28 women, from the venous whole blood collected by cubital puncture, and in 20 cows, from the jugular whole blood. In 90 female rats the serotonin content from hypothalamus, rhinencephalon, mesencephalon, and sensorimotor cortex was determined. The obtained data show that in the course of labour in both species the blood serotonin concentration is decreased, returning to its initial values after delivery. The serotonin concentration in cows is 10--15 times higher than in women. As concerns the serotonin values in the cerebral nuclei through pregnancy, a progressive and significant increase of its content was noted in the hypothalamus, rhinencephalon, and mesencephalon, but not in the cerebral cortex. It reaches its maximum concentration at the end of pregnancy. It was concluded that during pregnancy a reduction of serotonin release processes is produced, which can signify a lower functional level of the serotoninergic structures implied in the regulation of the reproductive functions. The data are interpreted in the light of the particular endocrine state existing through pregnancy, attributing to serotonin a role in the functioning of PIF-prolactin system.