Antiserum to nerve growth factor does not prevent the increase of brain stem noradrenaline after neonatal 6-hydroxydopa

Antiserum to nerve growth factor (anti-NGF) given intraventricularly to newborn rats systemically injected with 6-hydroxydopa (6-OH-DOPA), did not prevent the long-term increase of brain stem noradrenaline produced by 6-OH-DOPA when given alone. Since the anti-NGF was biologically active and penetrated into the brain parenchyma, the role played by NGF in the outgrowth of central noradrenergic neurons, responsible for the elevation of brain stem noradrenaline, does not seem to be important.