The effect of gamma-hydroxybutyrate on mouse striatal tyramine, dopamine and homovanillic acid.

1 The concentrations of p- and m-tyramine, dopamine and homovanillic acid were measured in the mouse striatum following the subcutaneous injection of gamma-hydroxybutyrate; their control levels were 19.8, 6.3, 9600 and 1130 ng/g respectively. 2 The administration of 500-1000 mg/kg of gamma-hydroxybutyrate produced a reduction in p-tyramine that lasted at least 8 h. m-Tyramine and dopamine were significantly increased for at least 4 h. The levels of homovanillic acid were increased at 1 and 2 h after drug administration. 3 There experiments strongly suggest that the increases in dopamine turnover produced by gamma-hydroxybutyrate caused reciprocal changes in striatal tyramine that are similar to those produced by drug or treatment that increase dopamine turnover and tyrosine hydroxylase activity.