New development of hair examination! The searching of hair for the terminal residual substance of pleasant sensation

• Published in: Nihon hoigaku zasshi = The Japanese journal of legal medicine Vol. 55; no. 3; p. 310
• Main Author: Kashimura, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan 01.11.2001
• Subjects: Amphetamine - analysis; Dopamine - analysis; Female; Hair - chemistry; Humans; Male; Methamphetamine - analysis; Sensation; Substance-Related Disorders - metabolism; Tyramine - analysis
• ISSN: 0047-1887

Formerly, hair had been analyzed mainly in the field of individual identification. Otherwise, it is known that many substances are accumulated in hair such as metals like arsenic, mercury, alkaloids like caffeine, theophylline, drugs like opiate, stimulants, other drugs and poisons. So, by qualitative and quantitative analysis of such deposits in hair. It is possible to presume one's life manner during recent several months. This is the new development of hair analysis and it is expected that it may be wide of application. The main theme of this paper is hedonics. Nobody dislike hedonic sensation. So, it can be said everybody being living always coveting hedonic sensation. There are many hedonic sensers all over the body, and hedonic sensation transmitted by A10 nerve, so A10 nerve is called the hedonic nerve. Neurotransmitter of this A10 nerve is Dopamine. Dopamine is the endogenous hedonic material. Exogeneous hedonic one is stimulant like Methamphetamine. In this paper, relation between Dopamine, Methamphetamine and Tyramine, thought to be the terminal product from two formers is examined in the aspect of hair analysis. Catecholamines including Dopamine are made of Tyrosine. They have a Benzene-ring. Compounds with a Benzene-ring made of Tyrosine are relatively rare, but all of them have very strong action. Tyramine is made of Tyrosine, too. So the structure of Tyramine is essentially resemble to Dopamine, and the skeletal structure of Methamphetamine is identical to Dopamine, so the action is identical, too. Normally, excessive release of Dopamine in brain is controlled by the negative feedback of GABA system. But extrinsic stimulus as Methamphetamine put balance of the homeostasis between Dopamine system and GABA system in to disorder, and long term administration of Methamphetamine makes long remaining degeneration of synapse of Dopamine nerve. So, abnormal state of excess releasing of Dopamine happens easily. And the morbid state named stimulant psychosis occur. The volume of Tyramine in hair changes correlatively with the volume of released Dopamine in brain. Therefore it is suggested that quantitative analysis of Tyramine in hair enable to estimate the changes of Dopamine released in brain.