THE EFFECT OF PROPRANOLOL ON THE DESIPRAMINE-INDUCED REGENERATION OF BRAIN NORADRENERGIC AXONS IN THE RAT

The antagonizing effect of the B-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol ( PRP) on the desipramine (DMI)-induced regeneration of brain noradrener gic fibers was examined. The symmetrical sites of the rat frontal cort ex were pretreated with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Then, the same cor tical site of one hemisphere was infused with DMI, while the correspon ding site of the other hemisphere was infused with DMI (1 mM) plus PRP (1 mM). The DMI-induced axonal regeneration was attenuated by PRP. Th is finding suggests that activation of beta-adrenoceptors is involved at least in part in the regeneration of brain noradrenergic axons.