Paraventricular nucleus lesion prevents yawning and penile erection induced by apomorphine and oxytocin but not by ACTH in rats.
The effect of electrolytic lesion of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) on yawning and penile erection induced by apomorphine, oxytocin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH1-24) was studied in male rats. In sham-operated rats, apomorphine (50 micrograms/kg s.c.), oxytocin (30 ng i.c.v.), and ACTH1-24 (10 micrograms i.c.v.) significantly increased the number of yawning and penile erection episodes. In PVN-lesioned rats, apomorphine- and oxytocin-, but not ACTH-induced responses were strongly reduced. These results confirm our previous observations showing that the PVN has a crucial role in the expression of yawning and penile erection induced by dopamino-mimetic drugs and oxytocin, and suggest that ACTH-derived peptides induce the above responses by a mechanism not involving PVN hypothalamic dopamine or oxytocin.
Argiolas
A
A
Department of Neurosciences, University of Cagliari, Italy.
Melis
M R
MR
Mauri
A
A
Gessa
G L
GL
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015000:Yawning / Q000187:drug effects*
D010121:Oxytocin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D001058:Apomorphine