The impact of time after portacaval shunt in the rat on behavior, brain serotonin, and brain and muscle histology.

We investigated open field behavior, cellular fluorescence of brain serotonin and serotonin metabolism in different regions of the central nervous system (CNS), and brain and muscle histology in rats 3 weeks or 6 months after surgical end-to-side portacaval shunt (PCS). The results revealed a similar disturbance of the CNS serotonin at 3 weeks and 6 months after PCS in the rat. Progressive neurohistological changes were present between 3 weeks and 6 months after PCS. The open field behavioral impairment appeared, however, to diminish with time. There was no evidence from muscle biopsies that lesions in the muscles or in the peripheral nerves contributed to the motor disturbance.