Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical and gonadal axes and sympathoadrenalactivity of adult male rats prenatally exposed to morphine

The present investigation concerns 80-90 day-old male rats born from morphi ne-exposed mothers (2 x 10 mg/kg per day from days if to 18 of gestation wh ich showed at birth reduced size and activity of the adrenals). This prenat al treatment did not significantly disturb under resting conditions: (1) th e postnatal body growth up to week 10 after birth, (2) the activity of the pituitary gonadal axis (circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) and testostero ne (T), weight of the testicles and seminal vesicles), (3) the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) (hypothalamic corticoliberin ( CRF) content, plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) level, adrenal wei ght and corticosterone (B) content, plasma B level) as well as B-max and K- d Of mineralocorticoid (type I) and glucocorticoid (type II) receptors to B in both the hippocampus and the hypothalamus. In contrast these rats showe d reduced content of adrenals in noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) but increased circulating levels of A. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. A ll rights reserved.