Involvement of Neurosteroids in the Control of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity in Pregnant Sheep Under Basal and Stressful Conditions

    August 2021 in “ Theriogenology
    Tomasz Misztal, Patrycja Młotkowska, Elżbieta Marciniak, Katarzyna Roszkowicz-Ostrowska, Anna Misztal
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    TLDR Neurosteroids play a key role in controlling the brain-adrenal gland activity in pregnant sheep, both in normal and stressful situations.
    The study investigated the role of neurosteroids in controlling the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in pregnant sheep under both normal and stressful conditions. The experiment involved two groups of pregnant sheep (n = 7 each) in their fourth month of gestation. The sheep were subjected to treatments involving the infusion of finasteride, a drug that blocks neurosteroid synthesis, and exposure to stress. The results showed that corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), and cortisol concentrations were significantly higher in sheep treated with finasteride, stress, and a combination of both compared to controls. The study concluded that neurosteroids may be a crucial component in controlling HPA axis activity in pregnant sheep, not only under stress-free conditions but also by inhibiting the neuroendocrine response to stressors.
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