10 research outputs found

    Maturation of the behavioral and neuroendocrine differences between the roman rat lines

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    International audienceThe behavioral and/or neuroendocrine reactivity to psychological (open-field exposure) and physiological (CRF challenge) stimulations, as well as adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and phenylethanolamine N-methyl transferase (PNMT) activities were measured, at different ages, in the Roman high avoidance (RHA) and Roman low avoidance (RLA) rat lines that have been genetically selected on the basis of their divergent active avoidance behavior. The highest locomotor activity in the open field, associated to blunted prolactin and renin reactivity to an emotional stress and lower specific TH and PNMT activities, characterized the RHA rats of all ages. HPA axis reactivity to psychological and/or physiological stimulations was identical in young animals (14 weeks old) of the two lines. Nevertheless, it displayed with age maturation processes, since the amplitude of postopen-field secretion peak for ACTH was larger in RLA rats from 20 weeks on, the response to CRF being not increased until 42 weeks. These maturation processes could result from genetically influenced changes related to environmental stimulations. Therefore, the Roman lines may be an excellent model to study the interactions between the genetic and developmental factors controlling the coupling between both behavioral and neuroendocrine functions

    Prenatal stress alters circadian activity of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis and hippocampal corticosteroid receptors in adult rats of both gender.

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    Prenatal stress impairs activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to stress in adult offspring. So far, very few data are available on the effects of prenatal stress on circadian functioning of the HPA axis. Here, we studied the effects of prenatal stress on the circadian rhythm of corticosterone secretion in male and female adult rats. To evaluate the effects of prenatal stress on various regulatory components of corticosterone secretion, we also assessed the diurnal fluctuation of adrenocorticotropin, total and free corticosterone levels, and hippocampal corticosteroid receptors. Finally, in the search of possible maternal factors, we studied the effects of repeated restraint stress on the pattern of corticosterone secretion in pregnant female rats. Results demonstrate that prenatal stress induced higher levels of total and free corticosterone secretion at the end of the light period in both males and females, and hypercorticism over the entire diurnal cycle in females. No diurnal fluctuation of adrenocorticotropin was observed in any group studied. The effects of prenatal stress on corticosterone secretion could be mediated, at least in part, by a reduction in corticosteroid receptors at specific times of day. Results also show that prepartal stress alters the pattern of corticosterone secretion in pregnant females. Those data indicate that prenatally stressed rats exhibit an altered temporal functioning of the HPA axis, which, taken together with their abnormal response to stress, reinforces the idea of a general homeostatic dysfunction in those animals.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe
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