ELECTROMYOGRAPHICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL-STUDIES ON MUTANT HAN-WISTAR RATS WITH PROGRESSIVE SPASTIC PARESIS

1. 1. The motor hyperactivity associated with spastic paresis in mutant Han-Wistar rats can be temporarily reversed with injection of either l-Dopa or apomorphine, but not d-Dopa. 2. 2. Injection of l-Dopa but not d-Dopa caused a similar increase in the dopamine concentrations in the striata of mutant and control animals. 3. 3. Striatal tissues from mutant and control rats have similar capacities for taking up radioactive dopamine. 4. 4. Both mutants and controls show no difference between the spontaneous and the potassium-induced release of radioactive dopamine from striata loaded with the amine. 5. 5. The endogenous dopamine and serotonin contents are greater in the CNS of the mutants than in the control littermates, while the homovanillic acid contents are similar. 6. 6. Both groups of animals have the same adenylate cyclase basal activity and the dopamine-stimulated increase in the enzyme activity. © 1979.