Glucocorticoids affect gonadotropin-releasing hormone immunoreactivity in musk shrew brain.
Multiple interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal systems exist. In this study, we asked if glucocorticoid administration affected gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) immunoreactivity. We found that musk shrews treated with dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, had more GnRH-immunoreactive (ir) cells in the forebrain than did cortisol- or control-treated animals. The effects of DEX were noted rapidly, within 15 min, after administration. These effects were observed in the forebrain as a whole and also in specific subpopulations of GnRH-ir cells located in the medial septum/diagonal band and the hypothalamus.
Schiml-Webb
P A
PA
Department of Psychology, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45435, USA.
Temple
J L
JL
Rissman
E F
EF
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002452:Cell Count; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D012788:Shrews / Q000502:physiology*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone