[Prolonged effect of 5-hydroxytryptophan on trace processes of neuronal activity]. / O prolongiruiushchem vliianii 5-oksitriptofana na sledovye protsessy neironnoi aktivnosti.

In experiments on rabbits a study was made of the influence of serotonin's precursor, 5-oxytriptophane (5-OTP), on trace processes in spike activity of neurones in the visual and sensorimotor cortical areas. Rhythmic light was used as a stimulus with a frequency of 2 or 5 per second. Administration of 5-OTP produced prolonged action of the trace processes, significant for 2 per second frequency and less pronounced for 5 per second frequency of the flashes. This property was possessed both by the neurones which increased their activity frequency and those which reduced it. It is assumed that the prolonging effect of 5-OTP is the consequence of its modulating influence on the brain activity, which is manifested in a selective potentiation of the functioning of a neuronal system with a relatively lower frequency of spontaneous firing.

[Role of biogenic amines in the pathogenesis of intellectual disorders in children with minimal psychoorganic syndromes]. / O roli biogennykh aminov v patogeneze intellektual'nykh narushenii u detei s minimal'nym psikhoorganicheskim sindromom.

Memory, attention and emotional reactivity in comparison to indices of catecholamine and serotonin metabolism were studied in 25 children from 7 to 10 years with the minimal psychoorganic syndrome during aminalon treatment. According to the excretion indices the activity equilibrium of catecholamines and serotonin were changed and were accompanied by disturbances of memory, attention and emotional reactivity. An improvement of these indices during treatment corresponded to a normalization of the activity in these systems. Questions concerning the signficance of disturbed metabolism of biogenic amines in the pathogenesis of the psychoorganic syndrome are discussed.