SURVIVAL OF DEVELOPING DOPAMINERGIC-NEURONS IN REAGGREGATE TISSUE-CULTURE FOLLOWING TREATMENT WITH METHAMPHETAMINE

Developing central dopamine (DA)-containing neurons in rotation-mediated reaggregate tissue culture exposed to 10(-4) M methamphetamine for 1 week (at a time corresponding to the 2nd week of postnatal development) exhibit decreased DA levels DA neurons were visualized either by a histofluorescent method after 'loading' with exogenous DA, or by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunocytochemistry. An apparent loss of histofluorescent DA cell bodies was observed due to a methamphetamine-induced reduction in exogenous DA accumulation. No decrease in the number of TH-immunoreactive neurons was observed. Thus, developing DA neurons when visualized by TH immunocytochemistry survive despite methamphetamine-induced reductions in DA levels.