title: Supraoptic nucleus of the Brattleboro rat has an altered afferent noradrenergic input.
abstract: The distribution of fluorescent varicosities in the supraoptic nucleus of Brattleboro rats was compared to that in normal rats. The Brattleboro rat, which is characterized by a genetic absence of vasopressin, had fewer fluorescent varicosities in apposition to the vasopressin-deficient perikarya. The oxytocin-producing neurons in the same nucleus were hyperinnervated. These data suggest that the target neuron peptide (vasopressin) is necessary for the maintenance of normal noradrenergic innervation patterns.
mesh_terms: D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains / Q000502:physiology*; D013495:Supraoptic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin; D009638:Norepinephrine