Catecholamine, adenosine triphosphate, and P-creatine levels in decapitated whole mouse brain.

The levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, adenosine triphosphate, and P-creatine were measured in whole mouse brain collected under two conditions: 1) the decapitated head was immediately plunged into liquid nitrogen (nonanoxic tissue); or 2) the tissue was allowed to remain anoxic before the quick-freezing procedure. The substrate levels were significantly decreased in brain anoxic for only 30 sec. The catecholamine levels in nonanoxic mouse brain appear to be higher than levels previously reported in brains collected with microwave irradiation or by decapitation with rapid dissection of tissue before it was frozen.