The hippocampus and amygdala mediate the locomotor stimulating effects of corticotropin-releasing factor in mice.
We have previously demonstrated that both stress manipulations and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) elevate locomotor activity in mice primarily in the center region of an open field. In the present study, other than confirming these findings, we have further examined the roles of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the caudate nucleus in mediating the locomotor-stimulating effect of CRF. Results indicate that among the areas examined, the hippocampus is the most important neural substrate of the action of CRF. The amygdala is also partly responsible for the behavioral effect produced by CRF. The caudate nucleus, however, although is important in the expression of gross motor activity, is not involved in the effect of CRF on locomotion in mice. The results are compared with those obtained in rats and are discussed in terms of the interactions between CRF and stress.
Lee
E H
EH
Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Tsai
M J
MJ
D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000187:drug effects
D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone