Serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in discrete hypothalamic areas of the rat brain: relation to circulating corticosterone.
We examined the influence of adrenalectomy (ADX), and chronic corticosterone (CORT) replacement, on serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in discrete hypothalamic areas of the rat brain. A significant decrease in 5-HT (-25%) and 5-HIAA (-28%) content was observed in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) 7 days following ADX. A similar decrease in 5-HT levels (-27%) was observed in the preoptic area (POM) following ADX. In contrast, 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) were significantly elevated by 82% and 54%, respectively. Replacement therapy with subcutaneous CORT implants (200 mg) was effective in preventing these effects of ADX in some cases. These findings suggest that the pituitary-adrenal endocrine system may influence various physiological and behavioral functions via its action on serotonergic neurons within specific hypothalamic sites.
D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D003345:Corticosterone