EFFECT OF AGING ON LIPID PEROXIDE LEVELS INDUCED BY L-GLUTAMIC ACID AND ESTIMATED BY MEANS OF A THIOBARBITURIC ACID TEST IN RAT-BRAIN TISSUE

Studies of age-related changes based on the thiobarbituric acid (TEA) test appear to be inconsistent and contradictory. In our work, real ba sal (hypothetical, corrected to the zero concentration of atmospheric oxygen), basal (atmospheric oxygen-stimulated) and stimulated (L-gluta mic and hydrochloric acids) levels of TBA-reactive products (TBARP) we re estimated in the brain (hippocampus-HPC, cortex-COR, cerebellum-CRB ) from young (3 months) and old (28 months) male and female Wistar rat s. The values of basal levels of TBARP were different in young (HPC > COR > CRB) as well as in old animals (COR > CRB > HPC). Thus, the proc ess of aging caused a significant decrease in the HPC (to 72%) and no change in the COR and CRB, Levels stimulated by L-glutamic acid were s ignificantly decreased (COR,CRB) and unchanged (HPC) in old compared t o young animals. The real basal levels estimated by regression analysi s seem to be higher in the brain tissue damaged by aging. We discuss t he usefulness of the TEA test applied to aged tissue, the effect of ac idosis, the effectivity of L-glutamic acid to generate free radicals a nd the differences between individual brain areas.