Increased growth hormone response to clonidine in 6-hydroxydopamine-treated rats

L. J. Siever, C. Tamminga, A. Pert

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Alpha2-adrenergic receptors mediate adrenergic stimulation of gowth hormone (GH) secretion in the rat. The GH response to the alpha2-adrenergic agonist clonidine has thus been used as an index of alpha2-adrenergic receptor responsiveness. Pharmacologic manipulations known to upregulate alpha2-adrenergic receptor sensitivity would then be expected to result in an enhancement of the GH response to clonidine. To test this hypothesis, rats were injected in the lateral ventricle with either 6-hydroxydopamine or sterile saline. One month following the lesion, urethane-anesthetized rats from each group were administered clonidine or saline. Venous samples for plasma GH were drawn prior to or following the clonidine or saline administration. Rats administered clonidine had greater GH responses than those administered saline within either the lesioned or nonlesioned groups. The GH response to clonidine was significantly greater in the lesioned group than in the nonlesioned group. As 6-hydroxydopamine pretreatment upregulates alpha2-adrenergic receptors, these results support the validity of the use of the GH response to clinidine as an index of alpha2-adrenergic receptor responsiveness.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)342-344
Number of pages3
JournalPsychopharmacology
Volume91
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 1987

Keywords

  • 6-Hydroxydopamine
  • Alpha-adrenergic receptor
  • Clonidine
  • Growth hormone

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology

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