[Effect of chronic exposure to nitrogen dioxide on biogenic amine levels in the brain of guinea pigs].

The experiment was carried out on male guinea pigs exposed to NO2 at a constant concentration of 0.1 ppm 24 h daily for 1, 2.5 and 6 months, or NO2 concentration was increased to 0.5 ppm twice daily, between 7:00 and 8:00 AM and 4:00 and 5:00 PM. After the exposure to NO2 was over the animals were killed by decapitation. The cranium was opened and the brain removed, and afterwards at 0 degrees C the left hemisphere was dissected into discrete areas which were then frozen on dry ice and weighed. The tissues were kept for 2-3 days at -20 degrees C, and afterwards the content of noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindole-acetic acid was estimated spectrofluorometrically in examined parts of the brain (thalamus--hypothalamus pons + medulla oblongata hippocampus, cortex frontalis). It was shown that the applied NO2 concentrations brought about slight and nonspecific alterations in the content of the investigated amines in guinea pigs' brain.