The occurrence and density of distribution of nerves and endocrine cells that are immunoreactive for neuropeptides in the bovine pancreas were studied by immunohistochemistry. The six neuropeptides localized were galanin (GAL), substance P (SP), methionine-enkephalin (MENK), neuropeptide Y (NPY), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). The exocrine pancreas was shown to have an appreciable number of GAL- and SP-immunoreactive nerve fibres but few fibres showing immunoreactivity for VIP and CGRP. Numerous MENK-, GAL-, SP-, and NPY-immunoreactive nerve fibres were seen in the endocrine portion of the pancreas. Nerve cell bodies in the intrapancreatic ganglia showed immunoreactivity for all of the neuropeptides except CGRP. Endocrine cells showing immunoreactivity for GAL and SP were observed in the large islets and islets of Langerhans, respectively. The present results indicate a characteristic distribution of neuropeptides in the bovine pancreas, which may regulate both exocrine and endocrine secretions of pancreas.

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The plasma and platebet PEA levels of 20 normal subjects and 17 schizophrenic patients were investigated using a high‐performance liquid chromatography. In the normals the mean plasma and platelet levels of PEA were 4.9 ± 1.9 ng/ml and 1.78 ± 1.01 ng/mg protein, respctively, while in the schizophrenics, those were 12.1 ± 7.9 ng/ml and 0.77 ± 0.5 ng/mg protein, respectively. The plasma PEA levels of the schizophrenics were significantly higher than those of the normals, and the platelet PEA levels of the schizophrenics were lower than those of the normals.

Both concentrations of total 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG) in the human urine, plasma and CSF were determined with a high‐pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection in order to clarify the dynamic change in these noradrenaline metabolites. Three different biological fluids were collected simultaneously from 16 orthopedic patients who were regarded clinically as substitutes for normal subjects. In the urine, the MHPG concentrations were 1.67±0.65 μg/mg creatinine (mean±S. D.) and DHPG 0.39 μg/mg creatinine±0.21. The plasma levels were 21.16 ng/ml±9.58 for MHPG, and 19.58 ng/ ml±8.13 for DHPG. The CSF levels of MHPG and DHPG were 24.08 ng/ml±8.10 and 34.76 ng/ml±11.46, respectively. The CSF levels ofthese metabolites were correlated significantly with those in the plasma (r = 0.852, p <0.001 for MHPG; r = 0.799, p <0.001 for DHPG), while no significant correlations were found between the urinary levels and either the plasma or CSF levels of these metabolites. In the urine, the MHPG levels were proportional to the DHPG levels, while the former were inversely proportional to the latter in the plasma or CSF. Neither the MHPG nor DHPG levels in the urine from depressed patients revealed to have any significant correlation withtheir clinical assessments using the Hamilton Rating Scale Score (HRS). The patients weretreated with an antidepressant active selectively on the noradrenergic system, and no significant changes in urinary excretion of these metabolites were observed before and afterthe drug treatment. These findings suggest that in the case of psychiatric disorders suchas depression, these compound levels in the plasma or CSF would provide more important information than those in the urine.