title: Increase in somatostatin immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of aged Wistar rats.
abstract: Decreased immunoreactivity has been reported for several neuropeptides in the aged suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). We compared somatostatin (SS) and substance P (SP) immunoreactivity (ir) in aged (20-26 months) and young (6 months) Wistar rats. The old rat SCN revealed a significant increase in SSir (2.6-fold) and SPir. The results show that not all SCN-neuropeptidergic systems decline with age, and suggest a specific age-related role for SS in the SCN.
authors.affiliation: Animal Behaviour, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, 9751 NN, Haren, The Netherlands. b.biemans@biol.rug.nl
authors.forename: Barbara A M
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Biemans
authors.forename: Menno P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gerkema
authors.forename: Eddy A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Van der Zee
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D007120:Immunochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013004:Somatostatin