Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis function and hedonic behavior in adult male and female rats prenatally stressed by maternal food restriction

• Published in: Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Vol. 5; no. 3; p. 177
• Main Authors: Jezová, D, Skultétyová, I, Makatsori, A, Moncek, F, Duncko, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.01.2002
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex - anatomy & histology; Adrenal Cortex - physiopathology; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood; Age Factors; Animals; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Body Weight - physiology; Caloric Restriction; Corticosterone - blood; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - genetics; Female; Food Preferences - physiology; Gene Expression - physiology; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - physiopathology; Male; Organ Size - physiology; Pituitary-Adrenal System - physiopathology; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Pro-Opiomelanocortin - genetics; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sex Characteristics; Stress, Physiological - physiopathology
• ISSN: 1025-3890
• DOI: 10.1080/1025389021000010512

Neuroendocrine activation during stress is affected by many factors contributing to the variability of the stress response. The present study was aimed at evaluating long-term changes in hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis function and in hedonic behavior in adult offspring prenatally stressed by maternal food restriction, with attention on possible gender differences. Adult offspring were blood sampled via a tail artery cannula. Prenatally stressed females had significantly higher adrenal weights compared to males. Plasma ACTH levels, which rose in response to acute stress induced by handling, were significantly higher in females compared to those in males. A similar pattern was found in plasma corticosterone. The rise in ACTH levels was more pronounced in prenatally stressed rats though the rise in corticosterone failed to be modified. Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and proopiomelanocortin mRNA levels in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and anterior pituitary, respectively, were found to be unchanged. The present experiments failed to reveal a decrease in hedonic behavior in prenatally stressed rats. In contrast, in male offspring a tendency to a higher sucrose preference was observed. These data together with observed changes in hormone and CRH mRNA levels indicate that the gestational stress used did not result in a depression-like state in adult offspring.