Failure of 5-hydroxytryptophan to modulate brain stem auditory evoked responses in myelin deficient mutant qk mice

The effect of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) on brain stem auditory evoked response (BAER) amplitude in Quaking (qk) and normal littermate mice was examined. Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) (75 mg/kg, i. p.) to normal mice increased the amplitude of BAER peaks I, II, and III but had no effect on peak IV. In qk mice, however, 5-HTP did not affect the amplitude of any BAER peaks. Our data indicate that although 5-HTP increased BAER amplitude in normal mice, it failed to modulate BAER in qk mice. These findings are consistent with the possibility that 5-HTP receptor sites associated with myelin basic protein may be reduced in the myelin-deficient mutant qk mice.