Cited by 134Stress Responses and CortisolNeuroendocrine regulation and behaviorNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Neuroendocrine Responses to Stress in Mice: Hyporesponsiveness in Pregnancy and Parturition

Douglas, Alison J., Brunton, Paula J., Bosch, Oliver J., Russell, John A., Neumann, Inga D.·2003·Endocrinology

Abstract

Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis secretory responses to stress were compared in female virgin, late pregnant, parturient, and lactating mice. The basal plasma ACTH concentration was not different in pregnancy or lactation compared with virgins, but corticosterone concentration and corticosteroid-binding globulin capacity were greatly elevated in late pregnancy. Secretory responses to novel environment were attenuated in pregnant, but not lactating, mice compared with virgin females, whereas ACTH responses to forced swimming were attenuated in both groups. The expression of immediate early gene (nur77) mRNA increased in paraventricular nucleus neurons after stress exposure in virgin and lactating, but not pregnant, mice. During parturition, the basal ACTH concentration was similar to virgin and pregnant controls and did not increase with stress. Oxytocin secretion in response to either novel environment or forced swimming was unchanged in any reproductive group, whereas vasopressin secretion was decreased by both stressors, but only in virgins. Pretreatment with oxytocin receptor antagonist centrally had no effect on ACTH responses to stress in either virgin or pregnant mice. Pretreatment with an opioid receptor antagonist increased ACTH responses to stress in virgin mice, indicating opioid inhibition, but had no effect in pregnancy. Thus, in mice hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal hyporesponsiveness in late pregnancy is a consequence of reduced responsiveness of paraventricular neurons, but inhibition by opioids or intracerebral oxytocin does not appear to be involved.

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  • Maternal experience in female rodents seems to promote resilience to the effects of stress on cognition, likely in part through hormonal mechanisms regulating oxytocin.

    “maternal experience in female rodents seems to promote resilience to the effects of stress on cognition, which is likely in part through hormonal mechanisms regulating oxytocin93”

    From Neurobiology of resilience (2012) · cites this paper as [93]

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Authors
Douglas, A. J., Brunton, P. J., Bosch, O. J., Russell, J. A., & Neumann, I. D.
Affiliations
  • University of Edinburgh (GB)
  • University of Regensburg (DE)
Corresponding author
Douglas, Alison J.
Venue
Endocrinology
Published
2003-12
Volume
144
Issue
12
Pages
5268-5276
ISSN
  • 0013-7227 (ISSN-L)
  • 1945-7170
OpenAlex
W2053611268
Cited by
134
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 8
FWCI
2.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Regensburg Publication Server (University of Regensburg) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust
  • Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, stress response, pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, ACTH, corticosterone, corticosteroid-binding globulin, paraventricular nucleus, Nur77, oxytocin, vasopressin, opioid inhibition, oxytocin receptor
MeSH terms
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Animals, Carrier Proteins, Corticosterone, DNA-Binding Proteins, Female, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Injections, Intraventricular, Lactation, Oxytocin, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Pregnancy, Receptors, Steroid, RNA, Messenger, Stress, Physiological, Transcription Factors, Gene Expression, Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear, Opioid Peptides, Animals, Outbred Strains, Parturition, Mice, Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 1

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