Concomitant changes in CRH mRNA levels in rat hippocampus and hypothalamus following immobilization stress.

By using in situ hybridization, we have demonstrated an increased expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA in the hippocampus following immobilization stress (3 h) in rats. It paralleled that measured in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Pretreatment of control and stressed rats with MK-801 (a NMDA receptor antagonist) further increased CRH mRNA expression, in the two structures. The concomitant up-regulation of CRH mRNA expression in these structures suggests a common regulatory finality for a single molecule at two different loci.