Effect of mild postnatal hypoxia and L-dopa administration on dopamine concentration in striata of the newborn rat and long term sequelae on dopamine turnover.

Mild chronic postnatal hypoxia induces a long-lasting increase of DA release from striatal slices in rats. The effect of mild hypoxia on DA and DOPAC concentrations were examined in striata of newborn and adult rats. The short-lasting hypoxia (1 h, pO2 of inspired air was 11.3 kPa) did not change the concentrations of DA and DOPAC neither in newborn nor in adult rats. The long-lasting mild hypoxia (10 h or 17 h) increased the concentrations of DA, decreased that of DOPAC and decreased the turnover of DA turnover. Neither the DA concentration nor DA turnover were altered in striata of adult rats after an exposure to the mild chronic postnatal hypoxia.