Age-related changes in catecholamine metabolites of human urine from birth to adulthood

Abstract

Summary Catecholamines (dopamine [DA], norepinephrine [NE], epinephrine [E]), methoxyamines (3-methoxytyramine [MT], normetanephrine [NMN], metanephrine [MN]), DOPA, and acidic metabolites (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-acetic acid [DOPAC], vanilmandelic acid [VMA]) were determined in human urines from one day of age to adulthood, in order to investigate sympatho-adrenal development during life. All adrenergic compounds are present in neonate urines on the first day of life, but their postnatal evolution is quite different according to the nature of metabolites. Daily E, MN and VMA amounts remain low until the 10th month of life; daily NE, MT and DOPA levels increase progressively, but, in contrast, NMN amounts are already high in the neonatal period and increase only beyond the fourth year of age. DA is at either age the predominant catecholamine but its elimination is relatively more important in the neonatal period. Our results indicate that the maturation process of the sympatho-adrenal system is not achieved at birth; both sympathetic and glandular function remain low during a prolonged period in childhood, reaching full maturation probably near to the fifth year of life. Furthermore, there is a temporospatial delay in the maturation of adrenal medulla towards sympathetic function. On the other hand, changes in catecholamine metabolites have been observed in the period of increased cognitive and locomotor activities (E, DA, DOPAC) and in adolescence (DA, NE, NMN, VMA). fate of³H-norepinephrine (³H-NE), injected into the mother (Saarikoski, 1974).