Adrenocortical axis responses to adrenergic and glutamate stimulation are regulated by the amygdala.
We have examined the effect of lesions of the central and medial amygdala on the pituitary-adrenal responses to noradrenergic stimulation and to the injection of glutamate into the paraventricular nucleus. Bilateral lesions of the amygdalar nuclei inhibited adrenocorticotrophic hormone and corticosterone responses to electrical stimulation of the ventral noradrenergic bundle, and to the injection of the alpha1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine or glutamate. These results suggest that the amygdala may facilitate the stimulatory roles of noradrenaline and glutamate on the adrenocortical axis. The data contribute to understanding the mechanisms by which the amygdala is involved in the function of this axis.
Weidenfeld
Joseph
J
Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah University Hospital, Hebrew University--Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. newman@hadassah.org
Newman
Michael E
ME
Itzik
Anna
A
Feldman
Shaul
S
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats
D018698:Glutamic Acid; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine