J. Haller et al., COMPRESSION OF THE PITUITARY-STALK ELICITS CHRONIC INCREASES IN CSF VASOPRESSIN, OXYTOCIN AS WELL AS IN SOCIAL-INVESTIGATION AND AGGRESSIVENESS, Journal of neuroendocrinology, 8(5), 1996, pp. 361-365
The neurochemical and behavioural effects of a novel stereotaxic surgi
cal method developed for interrupting the nerve fibres running through
the rat pituitary stalk to the posterior pituitary gland was studied,
The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) con
tent as well as changes in aggressiveness were measured in rats one we
ek and one month after the surgical intervention. The main results are
as follows: (1) the compression of the pituitary stalk elicits a chro
nic increase in water consumption, as well as in CSF vasopressin and o
xytocin content; (2) the surgical intervention increased the frequency
of clinch fighting after one week. The increase in aggressiveness acc
entuated after one month and, in addition, operated animals showed red
uced scores of resting while exploratory and social behaviours increas
ed; (3) there was a strong positive correlation between water consumpt
ion, vasopressin, and aggressiveness; (4) oxytocin changes showed a po
sitive correlation with variation in social behaviour, The surgical in
tervention may serve as a model for lesions of the pituitary stalk and
formation of ectopic neurohypophyses in humans.