Enzyme histochemistry of basal ganglia in the septally cannulated rat.

Stereotaxic septal cannulation in one hemisphere of the rat results in displacement of the ipsilateral basal ganglion along its rostrocaudal axis. In an attempt to elucidate any metabolic changes in the ganglion due to possible alteration in its vascular supply in the displaced position, enzyme histochemical studies were undertaken on the forebrain of septally cannulated rats. A survey of hydrolases (acid and alkaline phosphatases, ATPase, cholinesterase and non-specific esterases), dehydrogenases (succinate and lactate) and diaphorases (NADH- and NADPH- tetrazolium reductases) revealed no difference in activity between the ganglia of the two sides. Cortical activity appeared to be enhanced with a rostral shift of the ganglion and decreased with a caudal shift. In the light of available histoenzymatic data on ischaemic brain damages, the present results rule out the existence of any major metabolic difference between the two basal ganglia. This underlines the extraordinary degree of functional plasticity of subcortical nuclear masses, despite considerable physical displacement.