THE NORADRENERGIC INNERVATION DENSITY OF THE MONKEY PARAVENTRICULAR NUCLEUS IS NOT ALTERED BY EARLY SOCIAL DEPRIVATION

A series of neuroanatomic analyses have been undertaken to identify po tential neuropathological changes seen in monkeys exposed to early soc ial deprivation, which leads to psychopathology, inappropriate respons es to stress and appetitive disorders. The animals used in this study were either socially reared or maternal- and peer-deprived. Within thi s framework, the distribution and density of noradrenergic (and adrene rgic) varicosities was assessed in the hypothalamic paraventricular nu cleus of rhesus monkeys using dopamine-beta-hydroxylase immunohistoche mistry combined with laser scanning microscopy. Quantitative analysis of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase-immunoreactive varicosity density within magnocellular and parvicellular regions revealed no significant differ ences between rearing conditions, suggesting that this chemically iden tified afferent input to the paraventricular nucleus was not affected by the early environmental insult of social deprivation. The apparent lack of vulnerability of the paraventricular nucleus to differential r earing conditions contrasts with the neuropathological changes observe d in several discrete brain regions.