The effect of intraventricular phenylethylamine and octopamine on the central effects of tremorine and pilocarpine and the acetylcholine level in the rat brain.

Phenylethylamine (PEA, 50 and 100 microgram ivc) and octopamine (OCT, 50 and 250 microgram ivc) potentiated the tremorine (10 mg/kg ip) induced hypothermia in the rat. This effect was partially antagonized by atropine (10 mg/kg ip). PEA and OCT significantly prolonged the duration of pilocarpine (100 mg/kg iv) induced catalepsy in rats. PEA (100 microgram ivc) and OCT (250 microgram ivc) depressed the acetylcholine (ACh) level in the cerebral cortex and striatum but did not affect it in the hippocampus. In addition, these amines enhanced the synthesis of ACh in the cerebral cortex, and PEA also in the rat striatum.