Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Role of Prolactin in Stress-Induced Biological Modifications in Animals

  • Chapter
Psychobiology of Stress

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 54))

Abstract

It is well established that the adenohypophyseal hormone prolactin (PRL) is released in high quantity by animals subjected to stress of physical and psychological nature. Swingle et al. (1951) first described the occurrence of pseudopregnancy in female rats subjected to different types of stressor stimuli. Later, it was found that stress promotes milk secretion, suggesting the possible involvement of PRL (Nicoll et al., 1960). In 1965, Grosvenor et al. described in detail the stress-induced depletion of PRL from the adenohypophysis. However, it is not yet clear whether this hyperprolactinemia is just the consequence of a general hypothalamic activation induced by stress or it plays any role in the biological phenomena caused by the application of stress.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Berczi I., Nagy E., Kovacs K., Horuath E. (1981): Regulation of humoral immunity in rats by pituitary hormones. Acta Endocrinol. 98:506–514

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bindra D. (1963): Temporal analysis of relevant and irrelevant behavior components in partial reinforcement and extinction. Psychol. Rev. 13:551–563

    Google Scholar 

  • Borchelt P.L. (1980): Care of the body surface (COBS). In: Comparative Psychology: An Evolutionary Analysis of Animal Behavior (edited by D. Ray Denny). Willey Pu., New York, pp. 362–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Crine A.F., Bredart S. and Legros J.J. (1981): Effects of exogenous arginine vasopressin on rectal temperature in the albino rat. Horm. Behav. 15:226–231

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Delius J.D., Craig B. and Chaudoir C. (1976): Adrenocorticotropic hormone, glucose and displacement activities in pigeons. Z. Tierpsychol. 40: 183–193

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Wied D. (1969): Effects of peptide hormones on behavior. In: Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology (edited by W.F. Ganong and L. Martini), Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 97–40

    Google Scholar 

  • de Wied D., Bohus B. and van Wimersma Greiganus Tj.B. (1974): The hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system and the preservation of conditioned avoidance behavior in rats. Prog. Brain Res. 41:417–428

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Doherty P.C., Smith M.S. and Bartke A. (1980): Hyperprolactinemia and reproductive function in male rats. Effects of adrenalectomy and bromocriptine. Endocr. Soc. Meet. abs. 704

    Google Scholar 

  • Drago F. (1982): Prolactin and Behavior. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Drago F., Canonico P.L., Bitetti R. and Scapagnini U. (1980): Systemic and intraventricular prolactin induces excessive grooming. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 65:457–458

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drago F., Gispen W.H. and Bohus B. (1981a): Behavioral effects of prolactin: involvement of opioid receptors. In: Advances in Endogenous and Exogenous Opioids (edited by H. Takagi and E.J. Simon), Kodansha Ltsd., Tokyo, pp. 335–337

    Google Scholar 

  • Drago F., Bohus B., Canonico P.L. and Scapagnini U. (1981b): Prolactin induces grooming in the rat: possible involvement of nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 15:61–63

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drago F., Bohus B. and Mattheij J.A.M. (1982a): Endogenous hyperprolactinaemia and avoidance behaviors of the rat. Physiol. Behav. 28:1–4

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drago F., Bohus B., van Ree J.M., Scapagnini U. and de Wied D. (1982b): Behavioral responses of long-term hyperprolactinaemic rats. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 79:323–327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drago F., Bohus B., Gispen W.H., Scapagnini U. and de Wied D. (1983): Prolactin-enhanced grooming behavior: interaction with ACTH. Brain Res. 263:277–282

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drago F. and Amir S. (1984): Effects of hyperprolactinaemia on core temperature of the rat. Brain Res. Bull. 12:355–358

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drago F. and Scapagnini U. (1984): Prolactin-ACTH interactions in the neuroendcorine responses to stress. In: Stress: The Role of Cathecolamines and Other Neurotransmitters (edited by E. Usdin et al.), Gordon and Brench Science Publishers, New York, pp. 311–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Drago F., Amir S., Continella G., Alloro M.C. and Scapagnini U. (1986): Effects of endogenous hypeprolactinemia on adaptive responses to stress. In: Prolactin — Basic and Clinical Correlates (edited by R.M. MacLeod, M. Thorner and U. Scapagnini), Liviana Press, Padova, pp. 609–614

    Google Scholar 

  • Endroczi E. and Nyakas Cs. (1974): Pituitary-adrenal function in lactating rats. Endokrinologie (Budapest) 63:1–5

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gispen W.H. and Isaacson R.L. (1981): ACTH-induced excessive grooming in the rat. Pharmacol. Ther. 12:209–237

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Glyn J.R. and Lipton J.M. (1981): Hypothermic and antipyretic effects of centrally administered ACTH (1–24) and a-melanotropin. Peptides 2:177–187

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grosvenor C.E. (1965) Effects of nursing and stress upon prolactin-inhibiting activity of the rat hypothalamus. Endocrinology 77:1037–1042

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanson P.G. and Flaherty D.R. (1981): Immunological responses to training in conditioned runners. Clin. Sci. 60:225–234.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Houston G. (1984): Hormones induced changes in lymphoid organs. Proc. B. Sc. Presentations at Univ. of Manitoba, 43

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson H.M., Smith E.M., Torres B.A. and Blalock J.E. (1982): Neuroendocrine hormone regulation of in vitro antibody production. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79:4171–4179

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jolies J., Rompa-Barendregt I. and Gispen W.H. (1979): Novelty and grooming behavior in the rat. Behav. Neur. Biol. 25:563–572

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamoun A. (1970): ActivitĂ© cortico-surrenale au cours de la gestation, de la lactation et du development pre et post-natal chez la rat. I. Concentration et cinique de disparition de la corticosterone. J. Physiol. (Paris) 62:5–32

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin G.E. and Bacino C.B. (1979): Action of intracerebrally injected b-endorphin on the rat core temperature. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 59:227–236

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller N.E. and Stevenson S.S. (1936): Agitated behavior of rats during experimental extinction and a curve of spontaneous recovery. J. Comp. Physiol. 21:205–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicoll CS., Talwalker P.K. and Meites J. (1960): Initiation of lactation in rats by nonspecific stresses. Amer. J. Physiol. 198:1103–1106

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olson R.D., Kastin A.J., Olson G.A. and Coy D.H. (1979): Behavioral effects after systemic injection of opiate peptides. Psychoneuroendocrinology 5:47–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramaswamy S., Pillai N.P. and Bapna J.S. (1983): Analgesic effect of prolactin: possible mechanism of action. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 96:171–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • RĂĽssel D.H., Matrisian L., Kibler R., Larson D.F., Poglos B. and Magun B.E. (1984): Prolactin receptor on human lymphocytes and their modulation by cyclosporin. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 121:889–896

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Solomon G.F. (1969): Stress and antibody response in the rats. Int. Arch. Allergy Appl. Immunol. 35:97–107

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spruijt B.M. and Gispen W.H. (1983): ACTH and grooming behaviour in the rat. In: Hormones and Behaviour in Higher Vertebrates (edited by J. Balthazart, E. Prove and R. Gilles), Springer-Ver lag, Berlin, 119–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart J. and Eikelboom R. (1979): Stress mask the hypothermic effect of naloxone in rats. Life Sci. 25:1165–1172

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Swingle W.W., Fedor E. J., Barlow G., Collins E.J. and Perlmutt J. (1951): Induction of pseudopregnancy in rat following adrenal removal. Amer. J. Physiol. 167:593–598

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Teshima H., Sogawa H., Kihara H., Nagata S., Ago Y. and Nagakawa T. (1987): Changes in populations of T-cells subsets due to stress. In: Neuroimmine Interactions: Proceedings of the 2nd Intern. Workshop of Neuroimmunomodulation (edited by B.D. Jankovic, B.M. Markovic and N.H. Spector), New York Academy of Sciences, New York, pp. 459–471

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoman E.B., Wetzel A. and Levine S. (1968): Lactation prevents disruption of temperature regulation and suppresses adrenocortical activity in rats. Comm. Behav. Biol. 2:165–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoman E.B., Conner R.L. and Levine S. (1970): Lactation suppresses adrenal corticosteroid activity and aggressiveness in rats. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 70:364–369

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Voogt J.L., Sar M. and Meites J. (1969): Influence of cycling pregnancy, labor and suckling on corticosterone-ACTH levels. Amer. J. Physiol. 216:655–658

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pharmacology, University of Catania Medical School, Catania, Italy

    Filippo Drago, Francesco Spadaro, Velia D’Agata, Teresa Iacona, Carmela Valerio, Carmelo Astuto & Nunzio Lauria

  2. Institute of Neurological Clinic, University of Catania Medical School, Catania, Italy

    Rocco Raffaele

  3. University of Messina Medical School, Messina, Italy

    Matteo Vitetta (Chair of Mental Hygiene)

Authors
  1. Filippo Drago
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Francesco Spadaro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Velia D’Agata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Teresa Iacona
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Carmela Valerio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Rocco Raffaele
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Carmelo Astuto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Nunzio Lauria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Matteo Vitetta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychobiology and Psychopharmacology, National Research Council of Italy (C.N.R.), Rome, Italy

    Stefan Puglisi-Allegra

  2. Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Alberto Oliverio

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Drago, F. et al. (1990). Role of Prolactin in Stress-Induced Biological Modifications in Animals. In: Puglisi-Allegra, S., Oliverio, A. (eds) Psychobiology of Stress. NATO ASI Series, vol 54. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1990-7_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1990-7_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7390-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1990-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation