title: CRF in the paraventricular nucleus mediates gastric and colonic motor response to restraint stress.
abstract: The role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) in the control of gastric emptying of a nonnutrient meal and colonic transit was investigated in conscious fasted rats chronically implanted with hypothalamic cannulas and catheters in both the stomach and proximal colon. CRF (0.06-0.6 nmol) microinfused unilaterally into the PVN resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of gastric emptying (0-51%) and stimulation of colonic transit (0-93%). CRF (0.6 nmol)-induced delay in gastric emptying was inhibited by 50% by subdiaphragmatic vagotomy or atropine methyl nitrate (1 mg/kg ip), whereas the stimulation of colonic transit was completely abolished by atropine methyl nitrate and reduced by 19% by vagotomy. Microinfusion of CRF (0.6 nmol) into the lateral hypothalamus or central amygdala had no effect. Restraint exposure for 1 h delayed gastric emptying and stimulated colonic transit by 28 and 78%, respectively. Bilateral microinfusion of the CRF antagonist alpha-helical CRF-(9-41) (13 nmol) into the PVN before restraint abolished stress-induced alterations of gastric and colonic transit. The CRF antagonist did not alter basal gastric and colonic transit under basal conditions. These data indicate that the PVN is a specific responsive site for central CRF-induced alterations of gastric and colonic transit and suggest that endogenous CRF in the PVN plays a role in mediating restraint stress-related alterations of gastrointestinal transit.
authors.affiliation: Center for Ulcer Research and Education, Veterans Affairs Wadsworth Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mönnikes
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Raybould
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taché
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D007026:Hypothalamic Area, Lateral / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D013270:Stomach / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone