Investigations were made on the effects of catecholamine (Cat) infusions with and without ammonia (NH3) on plasma and brain amino acids (AA) and brain neurotransmitters in dogs. Groups of four dogs were infused for 5 h with epinephrine (E), epinephrine + norepinephrine (E + NE), epinephrine + norepinephrine with NH3 during h 4 and 5 (E + NE + NH3), epinephrine + norepinephrine + tryptophan with NH3 during h 4 and 5 (T + E + NE + NH3), or saline (C). Cat decreased (P less than 0.05) plasma Gly, Thr, Lys, Pro, Val, Ser, Arg, Leu, Trp, Phe, Asn, Tyr, Met, Ile, Cit, and Asp. The decreases at h 3 for all were to a mean of 45% of 0 h and were associated with no changes in plasma insulin or glucagon. Cat increased plasma Tau and Orn. Of the most abundant brain AA (82% of total), E + NE + NH3 had no effect (GABA, Asp, Gly, Ala, p-ethanolamine) or increased (Glu, Gln, Tau) brain levels. These AA were unchanged by Cat alone. Of the remaining brain AA, most were decreased by Cat (7 of 16, P less than 0.05) and E + NE + NH3 increased brain Trp but had no effect on brain serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, or NE. Cat changed plasma AA in a way similar to changes produced by NH3 infusion and seen with hepatic insufficiency due to portacaval shunts and nitrosamine-induced pathology. Cat reduced brain AA levels, and this was partially restored by NH3.