Psychological stress increases arousal through brain corticotropin-releasing hormone without significant increase in adrenocorticotropin and catecholamine secretion.
The effect of psychological and psychophysical stress on pentobarbital (PbNa)-induced sleeping time was examined in rats to clarify the influence of psychological stress on arousal. Psychological stress and electric footshock of 5-60 min duration significantly shortened PbNa-induced sleeping time, and the shortening was reversed by intracerebroventricular administration of a corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-receptor antagonist. Electrical footshock and restraint significantly raised plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and catecholamine levels, whereas psychological stress did not significantly affect the plasma hormones levels. These results suggest that both psychological and psychophysical stress increase arousal through brain CRH. It is also concluded that expression of the central nervous system action of CRH, such as increasing arousal, is not necessarily accompanied by a significant increase in the secretion of ACTH and catecholamine in psychological stress.
Shibasaki
T
T
Department of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
Imaki
T
T
Hotta
M
M
Ling
N
N
Demura
H
H
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*
D002395:Catecholamines; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone