J. Romero et al., CANNABINOID RECEPTOR-BINDING DID NOT VARY IN SEVERAL HYPOTHALAMIC NUCLEI AFTER HYPOTHALAMIC DEAFFERENTATION, Life sciences (1973), 63(5), 1998, pp. 351-356
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Biology,"Medicine, Research & Experimental","Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Cannabinoid receptors are sparsely distributed in the hypothalamic nuc
lei, although they seem to be located on key neurons because their act
ivation produces important neuroendocrine effects. In the present stud
y, we have examined whether cannabinoid receptor-containing hypothalam
ic neurons are intrinsic or extrinsic to this brain region. To this en
d, we have examined whether the hypothalamic deafferentation was follo
wed by a general loss of cannabinoid receptor binding, thus suggesting
that cannabinoid receptor-containing neurons would have their cell bo
dies outside the hypothalamus, or whether this was followed by no chan
ges in binding, thus suggesting that cannabinoid receptors would be lo
cated on intrinsic neurons. Three experimental groups were then analyz
ed: (i) animals with complete hypothalamic deafferentation in both sid
es; (ii) hemideafferentated animals; and (iii) sham-operated animals.
In the three cases, cannabinoid receptor binding did not vary among th
ese three groups in any of the hypothalamic nuclei analyzed. These wer
e the arcuate nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, lateral and
dorsal hypothalamic areas, paraventricular nucleus and medial preoptic
area. This clearly supports the view that cannabinoid receptor-contai
ning neurons into the hypothalamus are all intrinsic to this brain reg
ion.