Aging and sex influence the permeability of the blood-brain barrier in the rat

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Life Sciences; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(90)90157-M· OSTI ID:6056823

Saija, A; Princi, P; D'Amico, N; De Pasquale, R; Costa, G

The aim of the present study was to investigate the existence of aging- and sex-related alterations in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the rat, by calculating a unidirectional blood-to-brain transfer constant (Ki) for the circulating tracer ({sup 14}C)-{alpha}-aminoisobutyric acid. The authors observed that: (a) the permeability of the BBB significantly increased within the frontal and temporo-parietal cortex, hypothalamus and cerebellum in 28-30 week old rats, in comparison with younger animals; (b) in several brain areas of female intact rats higher Ki values (even though not significantly different) were calculated at oestrus than at proestrus; (c) in 1-week ovariectomized rats there was a marked increase of Ki values at the level of the frontal, temporo-parietal and occipital cortex, cerebellum and brain-stem. One can speculate that aging and sex-related alterations in thee permeability of the BBB reflect respectively changes in brain neurochemical system activity and in plasma steroid hormone levels.

• OSTI ID: 6056823
• Journal Information: Life Sciences; (USA), Vol. 47:24; ISSN 0024-3205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER
PERMEABILITY
AGE DEPENDENCE
AMINOBUTYRIC ACID
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
RATS
SEX DEPENDENCE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DRUGS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NEUROREGULATORS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
551001* - Physiological Systems- Tracer Techniques