title: Role of the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus in the effect of melatonin on the thymus, adrenal glands, and spleen in rats.
abstract: We studied the role of the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus in realization of the effect of melatonin on stress marker organs in rats under normal conditions and during acute stress. Stress induced involution of the thymus in active rats and adrenal gland hypertrophy in active and passive animals. Electrocoagulation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus induced a more pronounced decrease in the weight of the thymus and greater increase in the weight of the adrenal glands. Melatonin administration after electrocoagulation of the suprachiasmatic nucleus had no effect on the relative weight of the thymus, adrenal glands, and spleen in control and stressed animals. The influence of melatonin on the thymus, adrenal glands, and spleen is partly mediated by this structure of the brain.
authors.affiliation: P. K. Anokhin Institute of Normal Physiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow. s.pertsov@mail.ru
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Pertsov
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004594:Electrophysiology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013154:Spleen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin