Central catecholamine neurons and exposure to dichloromethane. Selective changes in amine levels and turnover in tel- and diencephalic DA and NA nerve terminal systems and in the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones in the male rat.

Subacute exposure of male rats to various concentrations (70-1000 ppm) of dichloromethane (DCM) produces a selective reduction of dopamine (DA) levels without a change of DA turnover in certain types of forebrain DA nerve terminal systems. In the low concentration (70 ppm) a selective reduction of DA turnover was observed in the medial palisade zone (MPZ) of the median eminence. This chlorinated organic solvent also produced a discrete dose-dependent increase of noradrenaline (NA) turnover within the anterior periventricular hypothalamic area and with the highest concentration an increase of NA turnover in the anteromedial frontal cortex. DCM reduced NA levels dose-dependently in the posterior periventricular hypothalamic area and also reduced NA levels in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (1000 ppm). Following tyrosine hydroxylase inhibition DCM produced an inversely dose-related increase of serum LH levels and at the highest concentration an increase of ACTH secretion was observed. It is suggested that DCM can produce discrete changes in amine storage and turnover in catecholamine (CA) nerve terminal systems of the tel- and diencephalon, some of which may contribute to the DCM induced disturbances of the secretion of anterior pituitary hormones but actions on other transmitter-identified neurons involved in neuroendocrine regulation must also be considered.