Effects of withdrawal from chronic exposure to cigarette smoke on hypothalamic and preoptic catecholamine nerve terminal systems and on the secretion of pituitary hormones in the male rat

Summary A 48 h but not a 72 h or 7 day withdrawal from chronic exposure to cigarette smoke was associated with increased noradrenaline levels (quantitative histofluorimetry) in the subependymal layer (SEL) of the median eminence, the anterior periventricular hypothalamic region (PV I) and the parvocellular part of the hypothalamic nucleus (PA FP) and an increased noradrenaline utilization (tyrosine hydroxylase inhibition by MT) in the SEL and the PV I. Following a 48 h or 72 h but not a 7 day withdrawal from chronic exposure to cigarette smoke an increased catecholamine utilization was found in the medial palisade zone (MPZ) of the median eminence. Reduced serum prolactin, FSH and corticosterone levels were found following a 48 h withdrawal from chronic exposure to cigarette smoke. Following a 72 h withdrawal from chronic exposure to cigarette smoke a reduced concentration of serum prolactin was noted. Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke reduced serum TSH levels and lead to a tolerance development with regard to noradrenaline levels and utilization within the preoptic region with the exception of the periventricular preoptic region. The finding of special interest in the present study is the demonstration of a highly significant lowering of corticosterone serum levels despite maintained blood levels of ACTH as seen 48 h following withdrawal. It is suggested that this type of endocrine change may lead to changes in fear-motivated behaviour and contribute to behavioural withdrawal reactions. The maintained reductions of serum prolactin levels found after 48 h and 72 h of withdrawal from cigarette smoke exposure (cf. Andersson et al. 1985a) is discussed in terms of an increased catecholamine utilization in the medial palisade zone of the median eminance. This activation is suggested to be caused by the development of a prolactin receptor supersensitivity within the medium eminence. The present evidence indicates withdrawal effects mainly in the noradrenaline nerve terminals of the sub-ependymal layer of the median eminence, the anterior periventricular hypothalamic region and the parvocellular part of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus which inter alia are involved in regulation of ACTH secretion (cf. Andersson et al. 1985a).