The difference spectra of the carbon monoxide-complex of dithionite-reduced rat brain microsomes, compared with both reduced microsomes, alone, and the carbon monoxide-complex of oxidized microsomes, indicate the presence of small amounts of cytochrome P-450 in brain. As in liver, cytochrome P-450 in brain is degraded in vitro to its inactive form, cytochrome P-420 by methylmercury chloride. Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity is also present in rat brain microsomes and, at lower specific activity, in brain homogenates. This carcinogen metabolizing activity is increased four-fold in rats pretreated with 3-methylcholanthrene.