Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and lysergic acid diethylamide: comparative changes in the supraoptic and paraventricular neurosecretory activities in rat hypothalamus.
Acute delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9-THC) administration (50 mg/kg, i.p.) produced accumulation of stainable neurosecretory materials (NSM) in the neural lobe (NL) region with a concomitant dispersion of stainable NSM in the neuronal perikarya of hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) regions. Chronic treatment with delta-9-THC (10 mg/kg, 15 days) produced marked accumulation of NSM in the NL with more prominent degranulation of the neuronal perikarya of SON and PVN. Acute LSD treatment (50 mug/kg) caused accumulation of stainable NSM in the NL region, with unaltered perikaryal distribution pattern of both SON and PVN; chronic LSD treatment (10 mug/kg, 15 days), on the other hand, caused marked increase of NSM in the neuronal perikarya of SON and PVN with no prominent accumulation in the NL. Results indicated that chronic exposure of delta-9-THC lowered the functional activity of SON and PVN neurons while chronic LSD treatment stimulated the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal neurosecretory system of rats.
D000818:Animals; D002188:Cannabis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D010906:Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D013495:Supraoptic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects
D010906:Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones; D013759:Dronabinol; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide