ADRENALECTOMY INCREASES THE GLIAL FIBRILLARY ACIDIC IMMUNOREACTIVE-ELEMENTS IN THE VENTRICULAR EPENDYMA AND ADJACENT NEUROPIL OF THE RAT 3RD VENTRICLE

The reactions of bilateral adrenalectomy (14 days) on the rat glial fi brillary acidic-immunoreactive elements of the third ventricular epend yma and adjacent neuropil were analyzed using histological, immunohist ochemical and morphometric methods. Bilateral adrenalectomy led to a d rastic increase in the number of immunoreactive elements located in th e neuropil adjacent to the third ventricle and the optic chiasm when c ompared to normal and sham-operated animals (p < 0.05). By contrast, t he adrenalectomized animals receiving corticosterone showed the same c haracteristics and morphometric values as those found in normal and sh am-operated animals. The results show that the participation of the ad renal gland in astroglial responses should be taken into account.