Catecholamine turnover measurement and ACTH-induced short-term changes of catecholamine levels in individual brain nuclei.

The effect of acute ACTH treatment on catecholamine content of various brain nuclei was followed by radioenzymatic assay. The hormonal treatment employed affected catecholamine levels only in some hypothalamic nuclei and in the locus coeruleus. Some effects could be detected as rapidly as 10 min after the injection of the hormone. Employing alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine, catecholamine turnover in individual nuclei was estimated, and shown to be quite variable from one area to the other. However, severe limitations seem to exist in vivo, which restrict the feasibility of this approach to basal or chronic situations.