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Prolactin secretion in sheep after dehydration followed by restraint or administration of ovine corticotrophin‐releasing factor
Author(s) -
Matthews SG,
Parrott RF
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
experimental physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0958-0670
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1992.sp003595
Subject(s) - prolactin , vasopressin , endocrinology , medicine , dehydration , basal (medicine) , secretion , chemistry , hormone , insulin , biochemistry
Plasma concentrations of prolactin were measured in male sheep (wethers, n = 8) during 120 min exposure to mild physical stress (restraint), and also following I.V. injection of 30 micrograms ovine corticotrophin‐releasing factor (CRF), when the animals were water replete and when they had been deprived of water for 48 h. Restraint stress produced a small increase in prolactin secretion (n.s.) when the animals were euhydrated and a large increase (P less than 0.001) when they were dehydrated. Administration of CRF had no effect on prolactin concentrations in either experimental condition. In a further study in which euhydrated animals (n = 6) were subjected to restraint while receiving infusions of vasopressin (1 microgram/h), there was no enhancement of basal or stress‐induced prolactin secretion. Thus, dehydration enhances stress‐induced prolactin release in sheep through a process that does not involve a pituitary action of CRF or circulating vasopressin.