Brain neuropeptides: tachykinins, neuropeptide Y, neurotensin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the rat brain: modifications by ECT and indomethacin.

1. The effects of electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) and indomethacin on brain regional and right-left hemispheric distribution of tachykinins (TK), neuropeptide Y (NPY), neurotensin (NT) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were studied in the rat. 2. Differences in peptide concentration between brain regions (frontal cortex, striatum, occipital cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus) were found for all five peptides measured (all P values less than 0.001). 3. Furthermore, concentration differences between the hemispheres were found for SP, NKA and VIP (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.001 and and P less than 0.005, respectively), but not for NT and NPY. Peptide concentrations were generally higher in the right than the left hemisphere; e.g., SP levels in the frontal cortex, striatum, occipital cortex and hippocampus were 194, 390, 335 and 136 percent higher, respectively, in the right compared to the left hemisphere. The results are consistent with other findings of right-left brain asymmetries in distribution of some neurotransmitters. 4. One ECT had no detectable effects on concentrations of SP, NKA, NT or VIP. However, the mean concentration of NPY was higher in all regions (except the striatum) and both hemispheres (P = 0.004). 5. In the rats pretreated with indomethacin, levels of SP, NKA and NT were decreased (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.001 and P = 0.039 respectively), whereas the concentrations of VIP and NPY were not affected. For SP and NKA the decrease was apparent in all brain regions and both in the right and left hemispheres. For NT, the effect was more prominent in the left than in the right hemisphere.