• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.236-240
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• 2007

Majority of sick full term newborns have adequate adrenal cortical function in response to stress. Acutely ill neonates with a basal cortisol level less than $15{\mu}g/dL$ (414 nmol/L) suggest adrenal insufficiency and require function testing of adrenal function. In premature infant, immaturity of hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis (HPA axis), may limit the ability to increase cortisol production in response to stress. The response to low dose ACTH and CRH appears to be useful as an additional test of adrenal function. CRH stimulation has been used increasingly in neonates. The ACTH and CRH stimulated cortisol response of more than $17{\mu}g/dL$ (469 nmol/L) indicates a normal response.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.863-866
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• 2004

The effect of substance P (Sub P) injected intrathecally (I.t.) on c-fos mRNA expression in vari-ous tissues was examined in the present study. We found that a single administration of Sub P(0.5 nM) caused an increase of the c-fos mRNA level in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis, hippocampus, and spinal cord. The time-course study showed that c-fos mRNA level was maximal at 10 min and began to decrease 30 min after the Sub P injection in all tis-sues, and the Sub P-induced increase of the c-fos mRNA level was returned to the control level 1 h after the injection. The kinetics of the c-fos mRNA expression in mice that were repeatedly injected with Sub P (every 30 min interval up to 4 times) were different in the HPA axis, hippocampus, and spinal cord. The increased c-fos mRNA level in the hypothalamus and the spinal cord induced by I.t. injected Sub P remained at a high level. In the pituitary gland, adrenal gland, and hippocampus, the increased level of c-fos mRNA expression gradually returned to the control level during the repeated substance P injections up to 4 times. Our results suggest that spinally injected Sub P-induced pain stress increases c-fos mRNA expres-sion in the spinal cord, hippocampus, and HPA axis. In mice repeatedly injected with Sub P, the kinetics of c-fos mRNA appear to be different varied from tissue to tissue.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.195-204
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• 2011

Introduction: This study examined the regulatory mechanism underlying the meal-induced changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA) axis activity. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-300 g) were hired for two different experiments as follows; 1) rats received either 8% sucrose or 0.2% saccharin ad libitum after 48 h of food deprivation with the gastric fistula closed (real feeding) or opened (sham feeding). 2). rats received 5 ml of intra-oral infusion with 0.2% saccharin or distilled water after 48 h of food deprivation. One hour after food access, all rats were sacrificed by a transcardiac perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde. The brains were processed for c-Fos immunohistochemistry and the cardiac blood was collected for the plasma corticosterone assay. Results: Real feedings with sucrose or saccharin and sham feeding saccharin but not sucrose, following food deprivation decreased the plasma corticosterone level. c-Fos expression in the nucleus tractus of solitarius (NTS) of the fasted rats was increased by the consumption of sucrose but not saccharin, regardless of the feeding method. On the other hand, the consumption of sucrose or saccharin with real feeding but not the sham, induced c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the fasted rats. The intra-oral infusion with saccharin or water decreased the plasma corticosterone level of the fasted rats. Intra-oral water infusion increased c-Fos expression in both the PVN and NTS, but saccharin only in the NTS in the fasted rats. Conclusion: Neither restoration of the fasting-induced elevation of plasma corticosterone nor the activation of neurons in the PVN and NTS after refeeding requires the palatability of food or the post-ingestive satiety and caloric load. In addition, neuronal activation in the hypothalamic PVN may not be an implication in the restoration of the fasting-induced elevation of the plasma corticosterone by oropharyngeal stimuli of palatable food.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.400-403
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• 2003

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH) is a recognized cause of precocious pseudopuberty. Some children with CAH also develop true precocious puberty with early maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. We review a case of CAH who eventually developed central precocious puberty nine months after initial treatment with corticosteroid. A 3-year-old boy visited complaining of rapid growth, a large penis and frequent penile erections. This patient was diagnosed with CAH with elevated 17-OH progesterone and cortical hypertrophy of adrenal gland on CT scan. His gonadotropin levels were within the normal prepubertal range. Even on treatment with corticosteroid he grew rapidly and had testicular enlargement, pubic hair development and rapid bone maturation. At second admission, his gonadotropin levels were elevated both basally and in response to LHRH stimulation, suggesting that the CAH led to early activation of pubertal gonadotropin secretion(true precocious puberty). He was treated with monthly depot injections of a LHRH analog in addition to the hydrocortisone. His second sexual characteristics regressed gradually and rate of linear growth and bone maturation decreased.