The simultaneous determination of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-ethylene glycol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and catecholamines in brain tissue by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

An assay is described for the simultaneous determination of the deaminated metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylene glycol (DHPG) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), together with noradrenaline, dopamine and adrenaline in brain using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The procedure is simple, specific, and has a limit of detection for each catechol of 5 pg. It offers the advantage of measuring the major monoamine oxidase metabolites of both noradrenaline (i.e. DHPG) and dopamine (i.e. DOPAC), which in some circumstances may reflect neuronal activity, simultaneously with their catecholamine neurotransmitter precursors.