Cellular and molecular neurobiology
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Cell. Mol. Neurobiol. · Oct 2003
Secretin activates visceral brain regions in the rat including areas abnormal in autism.
1. The aim of this study was to determine whether central networks are involved in the presumptive behavioral and autonomic regulatory actions of secretin, a gut hormone that has been reported to have ameliorative effects in autistic children. 2. Central neural responses monitored by regional c-fos gene expression were examined in response to intracerebroventricular secretin injection in awake, freely-moving Sprague-Dawley rats. ⋯ This study predicts a possible cellular mechanism, activation of third ventricular ependymal and subependymal cells, and central regulatory actions of secretin. The physiological effects of secretin on behavioral, endocrine, autonomic and sensory neuronal activation patterns, together, contribute to central c-fos activation. These findings mandate further investigation of secretin as a brain/gut stress regulatory hormone.