Selective inhibition by 4,alpha-dimethyl-m-tyramine (H77/77) and 4-methyl-alpha-ethyl-m-tyramine (H75/12) of the monoamine oxidase within serotonergic and noradrenergic neurons in the rat brain.

1. The inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO) by 4, alpha-dimethyl-m-tyramine (H77/77) and 4-methyl-alpha-ethyl-m-tyramine (H75/12), two amine releasing compounds, within monoaminergic neurons in the rat hypothalamus and striatum in vivo was determined. This was performed by measuring the protection of MAO by the test compound against the irreversible inhibition produced by phenelzine. The MAO activity inside and outside monoaminergic synaptosomes in homogenates of brain tissue was measured in the absence and presence of selective uptake inhibitors at low concentrations of 14C-labelled 5-hydroxytryptamine, noradrenaline or dopamine. 2. It was found that H77/77 and H75/12 produced a pronounced protection against phenelzine within the serotonergic and noradrenergic neurons, whereas much less effect was observed outside these neurons. 3. It was shown that the protection by H75/12 within the serotonergic neurons was somewhat reduced in 5-HT depleted reserpinized rats and that the protection outside these neurons was abolished. Some of the protection of MAO might therefore have been brought about by 5-HT molecules released by H75/12. 4. The marked inhibition of MAO within serotonergic and noradrenergic neurons was counteracted by amine uptake inhibitors and is accordingly brought about by the high concentrations of the accumulated compounds. 5. In contrast to other neuron selective MAO inhibitors, H75/12 decreased the 5-HT concentration in the hypothalamus showing that the releasing effect dominated over the MAO inhibitory effect.