Adrenal Cortical Activation Induced by Hypothalamic Stimulation and Stress in Pigeons Bearing Ectopic Pituitary Autografts

Abstract

Adrenocorticotropic abilities in basal and stress conditions, and the responsiveness of ectopically-transplanted pituitaries to hypothalamic stimulation were investigated in adult red Carneau pigeons. In birds with pituitary autografts, both electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus and restraint stress elicited a significant increase in the plasma corticosterone level, however these adrenal cortical responses were not so important as those in intact pigeons. Ether stress, which was a very effective stimulus of adrenocortical activity in controls, did not result in any plasma corticosterone elevation in pigeons that had been operated on. Such a decrease in the functional abilities of ectopic adrenocorticotropic cells was interpreted as the result of an impaired hypothalamic control acting via the systemic bloodstream. This hypothesis was corroborated by a moderate reduction in diurnal variations of the plasma corticosterone level in birds with autografts with respect to intact pigeons. Adenohypophysectomized controls did not show any adrenocortical response either to hypothalamic stimulation or to stress application.