Hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenocortical function in rats with inherited diabetes insipidus.

Abstract

Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical activity in male homozygous and heterozygous Brattleboro rats was compared with that in normal (Long Evans) controls to elucidate the role of vasopressin in the control of ACTH secretion. The concentrations of corticosterone and ACTH in the plasma, ACTH in the adenohypophyses and corticotropin-releasing factor in the hypothalami, were lower in the heterozygotes than in the controls and lower still in the homozygotes. The capacities of adenohypophyses and hypothalami to secrete in vitro ACTH and corticotropin-releasing factor, respectively, in response to trophic stimuli were also reduced in the heterozygotes and, to an even greater extent, in the homozygotes. Apparently, vasopressin is not the corticotropin-releasing factor, but it may be involved in the sequence of events which leads to ACTH secretion in the rat.