Premium
Effects of Pinealectomy and Aging on the Serum Corticosterone Circadian Rhythm in Rats
Author(s) -
Oxenkrug Gregory F.,
McIntyre Iain M.,
Gershon Samuel
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of pineal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1600-079X
pISSN - 0742-3098
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-079x.1984.tb00209.x
Subject(s) - corticosterone , pinealectomy , endocrinology , medicine , circadian rhythm , melatonin , radioimmunoassay , biology , rhythm , hormone , pineal gland
Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were housed in alternate light/dark conditions (light on, 7:00 AM, light off, 7:00 PM). Corticosterone was determined by radioimmunoassay from blood samples that were obtained by tail clip at 4‐h intervals. Pinealectomized animals have shown significant increase of corticosterone levels at 7:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM in comparison with 2‐month‐old intact rats. There were no differences in serum corticosterone rhythm between 24‐month‐old and pinealectomized animals. Twelve‐month‐old rats have shown significant increase of corticosterone levels at 7:00 and 11:00 AM in comparison with 2‐month‐old animals. The age‐associated increase of serum corticosterone and the similarity between serum corticosterone circadian rhythm in aged and pinealectomized animals suggest that an age‐related decrease in melatonin production [Reiter et al., 1981] may contribute to age related changes of hypothalamic‐pituitary adrenal axis regulation.