The effect of l-DOPA and benserazide on the amount of dopamine in the corpus striatum of X-irradiated rats.

The effect of a mixture of l-DOPA and benserazide on the amount of dopamine in the corpus striatum of rats irradiated with 850 R of X-rays was investigated. The amount of dopamine in the corpus striatum was measured fluorimetrically at various times after irradiation. It was found that i.p. administration of l-DOPA and benserazide 1,2 and 5 days after irradiation produces significant replenishment of dopamine in the striatum, thus indicating that precursor uptake and metabolism, and probably amine storage, remained unaltered after irradiation.