Distribution of NADPH-diaphorase positive cells in the rat brain.

1. Recent work suggests that neurones in vivo and in culture which contain neuropeptide Y and somatostatin and which stain positively for the enzyme NADPH-diaphorase may be resistant to excitotoxins. 2. We have therefore examined the distribution of the enzyme throughout the rat brain. 3. Neurones were found intensely or moderately stained at all levels of the neuraxis, but with particularly dense clusters of cells in the periaqueductal grey area and dorsal raphe nucleus of the hindbrain, the pedunculopontine and interpeduncular nuclei, and the dorsal spinal trigeminal nucleus. 4. Intensely stained cells occurred with no clear pattern in neocortical and striatal areas, and in nucleus basalis. 5. The observed distribution of staining is consistent with previous studies in other species of limited regions of the CNS. 6. While no consistent functional or neurochemical correlate of the NADPH-diaphorase distribution could be proposed, the work provides a basis for more detailed investigations of neuronal sensitivity to excitotoxins.