Biological psychiatry
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Biological psychiatry · Feb 2001
Chronic cold exposure potentiates CRH-evoked increases in electrophysiologic activity of locus coeruleus neurons.
Chronic stress exposure can produce sensitization of norepinephrine release in the forebrain in response to subsequent stressors. Furthermore, the increase in norepinephrine release in response to the stress-related peptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is potentiated by prior chronic stress exposure. To explore possible mechanisms underlying these alterations in norepinephrine release, we examined the effect of chronic stress on the electrophysiologic activity of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons in response to centrally applied CRH. ⋯ These data, in combination with previous data, suggest that the sensitivity of LC neurons to excitatory inputs is increased following chronic cold exposure. The altered functional capacity of LC neurons in rats after continuous cold exposure may represent an experimental model to examine the role of central noradrenergic neurons in anxiety and mood disorders.