['Contents of glutamate (Glu), asparate (Asp) and expression of prepro-somatostatin mRNA (PPS-mRNA) in rat hypothalamus were measured by using imitated altitude hypoxia rat model, amino acid analyzer and in situ hybridization technique.', 'After rats were subjected to altitude hypoxia, contents of Glu and Asp in hypothalamus and PPS-mRNA expression in periventricular nucleus (PeVN), paraventricular nucleus (PaVN) and arcuate nucleus (ArcN) were increased significantly. Ketamine, a NMDA receptor antagonist, could decrease the number of PPS-mRNA neurons in rat hypothalamus evoked by altitude hypoxia, but had no effect on Glu and Asp contents evoled by altitude hypoxia.'] Do [ Excitatory amino acid enhance prepro-somatostatin mRNA expression induced by altitude hypoxia in the rat hypothalamus ]?