The effect of folate deficiency on the monoaminergic neuron activity in weanling rats.

• Main Authors: Tzi-Chung Lai, 來姿君
• Other Authors: Lee-Min Mai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 1999
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/96992646139296766195

碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 解剖學研究所 === 87 === Abstract Folic acid (folate) is an essential water-soluble vitamin and it undergoes a number of metabolic changes which involves the one-carbon groups transferation in organisms. Folate is needed for the synthesis of purines, pyrimidines and DNA; it also associates with the formation of the sperms and proteins. Recent studies had indicated that folate deficiency changed the concentration of monoamines in hypothalamus and caudate nucleus, and it also induced the behavior of spilling food in the mice. The objective of the study was to correlate the possible role of folate deficiency in the activity of monoaminergic neuron activity. Weanling Spraque-Dawley male rats were supplemented with either 0 or 4.0 mg of folic acid per kg diet lasting 5 weeks. The group of rats which fed with the folic acid-deficient diet had the tendency of spilling more food and consumed less water than the group with normal feeding, and produced less waste during the study. The concentration of DOPAC and DA were reduced in nigra-striatum, median eminence and paraventricular nucleus; but not in nucleus accumbens. There was a significant increased in 5-HIAA and 5-HT levels in paraventricular nucleus and nucleus accumbens of folate depleted rats. The moving distances were reduced in folate-deficient rats with auto-track system (ATS). The concentration of prolactin in serum was higher in deficient than control rats with radioimmunoassay (RIA). At least, after 5 weeks of feeding, the construction of fore-limb and hind-limb skeletal muscle by folate-depletion were different in two groups. In conclusion, folate deficiency affected the moving and feeding behavior may act on the changes of the dopaminergic and serotoninergic neuron activity. Keywords: folate deficiency; dopamine; serotonin; spilling food