Studies of the influence of biogenic amines on central nervous system ischemia.

Several serotonin inhibitors have been shown to reduce neurologic deficits in experimental CNS ischemia. Using biochemical and histological methods we tested the effects of the serotonin inhibitors cyproheptadine and brom-LSD in a highly reproducible rabbit spinal cord ischemia model. Detailed mapping of regional spinal cord blood flow was used to guide sampling for the biochemical studies. We found that it is possible to study biochemical and morphological aspects of spinal cord ischemia in great detail using a combination of quite precise techniques. However, at this level of resolution there were no substantial changes in biogenic amine concentrations in severely ischemic or marginally perfused tissue after the durations of ischemia that cause the onset of irreversible tissue damage. Treatment with doses of serotonin inhibitors that produce preservation of neurological function did not cause significant alterations of tissue concentrations of biogenic amines or tissue morphology in treated versus untreated animals.