Neurotransmitter amino acid levels in rat thalamus and cerebral cortex after cerebellectomy.

Glutamate, aspartate, GABA, glycine and taurine levels have been measured in rat thalamus and in cerebral cortex at different time intervals (3rd, 7th, 15th, 30th day) after cerebellectomy. A decrease in glutamate, aspartate and GABA was detected at the 7th day after cerebellectomy in the thalamus and at the 15th day in the cerebral cortex; at the 30th day after cerebellectomy the levels of these amino acids in the thalamus and in the cerebral cortex were observed to have recovered to control values. No statistically significant difference in glycine and taurine levels in the thalamus and in the cerebral cortex after cerebellectomy could be seen. These results show that the functional recovery process after cerebellar injury is associated with a complex modification of amino acid levels in thalamus and in cerebral cortex.