Brain norepinephrine: evidence that neuronal release is essential for sham rage behavior following brainstem transection in cat.

There is a direct relationship between the magnitude of sham rage produced by brainstem transection in cat and the decrease of brainstem norepinephrine. The attacks of rage are augmented by protriptyline and inhibited by haloperidol, drugs respectively facilitating or depressing the action of norepinephrine centrally. Release of norepinephrine by brainstem neurons appears essential for appearance of this behavior.