Role of the pituitary-adrenal hormones in the acquisition of schedule-induced polydipsia.
Adrenalectomized female rats failed to develop schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP). Dexamethasone (DEX) injections failed to reinstate SIP in adrenalectomized rats. They did not prevent intact rats from acquiring SIP but interfered with subsequent expression of this behavior. In contrast, corticosterone, the rats' normally occurring glucocorticoid, fully restored the acquisition and subsequent expression of SIP in adrenalectomized rats. This strongly suggests that corticosterone plays an essential role in the normal acquisition and development of this behavior. Data are interpreted in the context of current information concerning adrenal hormone receptors. It is hypothesized SIP acquisition is at least partly regulated by the Type I (mineralocorticoid) receptor.
Levine
R
R
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305.
Levine
S
S
D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000502:physiology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012931:Social Environment
D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone