Effects of sulpiride treatment on the levels of immunoreactive beta-endorphin in rat hypothalamic nuclei.
The effects of sulpiride, a specific dopamine receptor antagonist, on the levels of immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir-beta-END) in discrete hypothalamic nuclei of rats were investigated. Single injections of sulpiride significantly decreased the levels of ir-beta-END in the nucleus arcuatus, nucleus paraventricularis and median eminence. Repeated injections of sulpiride significantly increased the levels of ir-beta-END in the nucleus arcuatus, nucleus periventricularis and median eminence. These findings suggest that beta-endorphinergic neurons are under dopaminergic control.
D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000032:analysis; D004302:Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000032:analysis; D004723:Endorphins / Q000032:analysis*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000032:analysis; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000032:analysis; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014697:Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000032:analysis; D001615:beta-Endorphin
D004723:Endorphins; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D013469:Sulpiride