Hypothalamic involvement in stress-induced hypocalcemia in rats.
Although hormonal regulation of blood calcium homeostasis has been intensively investigated in the peripheral organs, the involvement of the central nervous system in calcium regulation is still poorly understood. In the present study, we found that (1) bilateral lesions of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH), but not those of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus or the lateral hypothalamic area, eliminated immobilization (IMB)-induced hypocalcemia, and (2) electrical stimulation of the VMH decreased the blood calcium level. The results suggest that the VMH has a hypocalcemic function and plays a role in IMB-induced hypocalcemia.
Aou
S
S
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Ma
J
J
Hori
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007026:Hypothalamic Area, Lateral / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D007103:Immobilization; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014697:Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology
D002118:Calcium