Effect of Sensory Stimulation on Amino Acid Incorporation Into Brain Proteins in Vivo

Stimulation (AES) of the brachial plexus of anaesthetised rats resulted in an increased incorporation of carbon from [U‐14C]glucose into TCA‐insoluble proteins in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere, as compared with the ipsi‐lateral hemisphere. The greatest change was observed in the sensori‐motor cortex grey matter. Following intraventricular injections of [U‐14C]glucose, the changes caused by brachial plexus stimulation were variable, depending on which hemisphere received the label. The injection itself severely inhibited the incorporation into protein. Neither the injection, nor stimulation affected the conversion of [U‐14C]glucose into amino acids or its relative distribution between the two hemispheres.