Effects of nicotine on plasma corticosterone and brain amines in stressed and unstressed rats.
The administration of nicotine (0.4 mg/kh) to unstressed rats caused a rise in plasma corticosterone which persisted for 60 minutes and a fall in hippocampal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) at 45 minutes followed by a rise at 60 minutes. In rats which were stressed by being placed on an elevated platform, nicotine caused a reduction in hippocampal 5-HT at 45 and 75 minutes but did notaffect the plasma corticosterone concentration. Rats studied 16 hours after the last injection of a course of treatment with metypone had much reduced levels of plasma corticosterone and hippocampal 5-HT. Under the present conditions metyrapone also much diminished the effects of nicotine on plasma corticosterone levels in unstressed rats but had little effect on the response to stress.
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008797:Metyrapone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013997:Time Factors
D012701:Serotonin; D009538:Nicotine; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D008797:Metyrapone