Polyamine levels in brain and plasma after acute restraint or water-immersion restraint stress in mice.

To investigate the relationship between polyamines and stress, we measured polyamine levels in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and plasma of mice after acute restraint or water-immersion restraint stress. In all parts of the brain, putrescine levels were elevated (139-157% of the control) 24 h after water-immersion restraint stress. In the case of restraint, however, elevation of the putrescine level (130% of the control) was detected only in the frontal cortex. Spermidine and spermine levels were unchanged or slightly reduced (80-85% of the control) in the brain 6 and 24 h after water-immersion restraint stress. There was no change in plasma polyamine levels at any time subsequent to the stress. Pretreatment with diazepam (5 mg/kg, i.p.) completely blocked the stress-induced putrescine increases. These results indicate that the magnitude of the putrescine increase is dependent upon the intensity of the stressor, and suggest that polyamine metabolism is linked to psychological stress.