Acute stress induces an increase in rat cerebral cortex levels of n-butyl-?-carboline-3-carboxylate, an endogenous benzodiazepine binding inhibitor.
The effect of an acute swimming stress in rats on the amount of n-butyl-?-carboline-3-carboxylate, an endogenous benzodiazepine receptor binding inhibitor, was investigated. In 15 min this substance increased two fold in the cerebral cortex of the stressed rat and this increase was blocked by the previous injection of diazepam; however, no changes were observed in the cerebellum with stress. These results are discussed in relation to previous findings that, after the acute stress, [(3)H]flunitrazepam binding decreases in cerebral cortex and hippocampus, but not in cerebellum. A possible relationship between this benzodiazepine receptor binding inhibitor and the state of "anxiety" produced by stress is postulated.
Medina
J H
JH
Instituto de Biologia Celular, Facultad de Medicina, Paraguay 2155, Buenos Aires, (1121) Argentina.
Peña
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C
Novas
M L
ML
Paladini
A C
AC
De Robertis
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E