• Silvia J López-Pérez, Alberto Morales-Villagrán, and Laura Medina-Ceja.
• Laboratorio de Neurofisiología y Neuroquímica, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Camino Ing. Ramón Padilla Sánchez #2100, Predio Las Agujas, Zapopan, Jalisco, C.P 44600, Mexico. sjlopezperez@gmail.com.
• J. Biomed. Sci. 2015 Jan 1; 22: 14.

BackgroundOne of the most important manifestations of perinatal asphyxia is the occurrence of seizures, which are treated with antiepileptic drugs, such as carbamazepine. These early seizures, combined with pharmacological treatments, may influence the development of dopaminergic neurotransmission in the frontal cortex. This study aimed to determine the extracellular levels of dopamine and its main metabolite DOPAC in 30-day-old rats that had been asphyxiated for 45 min in a low (8%) oxygen chamber at a perinatal age and treated with daily doses of carbamazepine. Quantifications were performed using microdialysis coupled to a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system in basal conditions and following the use of the chemical stimulus.ResultsSignificant decreases in basal and stimulated extracellular dopamine and DOPAC content were observed in the frontal cortex of the asphyxiated group, and these decreases were partially recovered in the animals administered daily doses of carbamazepine. Greater basal dopamine concentrations were also observed as an independent effect of carbamazepine.ConclusionsPerinatal asphyxia plus carbamazepine affects extracellular levels of dopamine and DOPAC in the frontal cortex and stimulated the release of dopamine, which provides evidence for the altered availability of dopamine in cortical brain areas during brain development.

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