[Effect of emotional stress on catecholamine and dopa levels in some central nervous regions and in the heart of experimental animals].

The paper presents the results of examining the levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine and precursors of their DOPA biosynthesis in the hypothalamus, hypophysis, medulla oblongata, adrenals and heart in miniature pigs exposed to acute stress. The acute emotional stress was shown to be characterized by a significant increase in the activity of the brain hypothalamic region, adrenals, peripheral portion of the sympathoadrenal system, as evidenced by higher norepinephrine release and hence lower neurotransmitter levels in the above structures. This resulted in abnormal physiological norepinephrine/epinephrine ratios in the central nervous system and heart, predisposing to myocardial metabolic and electric instability.