Psychosomatic Medicine Faster Service from Outside North America
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by LAMPRECHT, F.
Right arrow Articles by KOPIN, I. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by LAMPRECHT, F.
Right arrow Articles by KOPIN, I. J.

Psychosomatic Medicine 36:298-303 (1974)
© 1974 American Psychosomatic Society

Serum Dopamine-beta-Hydroxylase (DBH) Activity and Blood Pressure Response of Rat Strains to Shock-Induced Fighting

FRIEDHELM LAMPRECHT 1, BURR S. EICHELMAN 2, REDFORD B. WILLIAMS 3, G. FREDERICK WOOTEN 1, and IRWIN J. KOPIN 1

1 Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20014
2 Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20014; Department of Psychiatry, Stanford Medical Center, Stanford, California 94305
3 Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20014; Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710

Address for reprint requests: Dr. Reford Williams, Box 3416, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710

Significant differences are found among rat strains in terms of both blood pressure response to shock-induced fighting and peripheral sympathetic nerve activity, as reflected in serum dopamine-B-hydroxylase (DBH) activity. In addition, strains with low levels of serum DBH activity did not exhibit significant blood pressure changes after fighting, whereas strains with high serum DBH levels showed significant falls in blood pressure. We conclude that serum DBH levels are a useful index of sympathetic nerve function in that they are related to hemodynamic responses to stress.

Note:

Presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society, Boston, Mass. April, 1972

Submitted on July 30, 1973
Revised on December 3, 1973






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1974 by the American Psychosomatic Society