Article date: December 1971
By: J. R. HODGES, SUSAN MITCHLEY in Volume 43, Issue 4, pages 804-813
The functional integrity of the hypothalamo‐pituitary adrenal (HPA) system was assessed in rats after prolonged treatment with tetracosactrin.
Adrenal size and sensitivity to corticotrophin were increased.
Both the circadian rhythm and the stress‐induced increase in HPA activity were inhibited. The circadian rhythm recovered before the response to stress.
Tetracosactrin given after betamethasone treatment delayed the return of a normal HPA response to stress.
Suppression of HPA activity appeared to be the result of a direct action of tetracosactrin and not entirely due to the elevations in the plasma corticosterone concentration which it caused.
The functional integrity of the hypothalamo‐pituitary adrenal (HPA) system was assessed in rats after prolonged treatment with tetracosactrin.
Adrenal size and sensitivity to corticotrophin were increased.
Both the circadian rhythm and the stress‐induced increase in HPA activity were inhibited. The circadian rhythm recovered before the response to stress.
Tetracosactrin given after betamethasone treatment delayed the return of a normal HPA response to stress.
Suppression of HPA activity appeared to be the result of a direct action of tetracosactrin and not entirely due to the elevations in the plasma corticosterone concentration which it caused.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1971.tb07216.x
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