Regional differences in extracellular ascorbic acid levels in the rat brain determined by high speed cyclic voltammetry

High speed cyclic voltammetry was used in combination with pressure ejection of ascorbate oxidase for the determination of extracellular ascorbic acid within the brain of the anaesthetized rat. Large variations in absolute levels of ascorbate were found between animals although distribution patterns showed a good degree of reproducibility. Ascorbate levels in the white matter of the corpus callosum were found to be higher than in adjacent areas of grey matter (striatum and cortex).