An enzymatic preparation from human brain converts tryptamine to tryptoline (9H-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrido(3,4-b)indole) in the presence of 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid. Similarly, N-methyltryptamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine yield 1-methyltryptoline and 5-hydroxytryptoline, respectively. Neither in vitro nor in vivo formation of these compounds by human tissues has been described.

Autoradiographic representation of the local rates of cerebral glucose utilization and local cerebral functional activity by means of the [14C]deoxyglucose technique reveals the existence of the ocular dominance columns in the striate cortex of the monkey in the first day of life. In contrast to the stability of these columns in more mature brain, monocular deprivation for 3 months from the first day of life results in their complete disappearance and a reversion of the autoradiographic pattern to that seen in animals with normal binocular vision. These results are consistent with a reorganization of the representation of the visual fields of the two eyes in the striate cortex and provide additional evidence of the plasticity of the striate cortex of the monkey in early life.

No abstract