Study of the effect of unilateral adrenalectomy in the melanin-concentrating hormone immunoreactive neurons in the medial preoptic area during lactation in Long-Evans rats

• Grant number: 18/03100-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Anatomy
• Principal Investigator: Jackson Cioni Bittencourt
• Grantee: Beatriz dos Santos Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: The medial preoptic area (MPOA) is a region classically associated with maternal behavior. Only during lactation, immunopositive neurons for the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) are present in MPOA. Also during lactation, an increase in the circulating levels of adrenal steroids occurs resulting in a decrease in hippocampal neurogenesis. Removal of the adrenal glands is able to reverse this decrease in neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Objective: Evaluate the effect of unilateral adrenalectomy on MCH neurons into MPOA in lactating rats. The Long-Evans females will be divided into two groups: adrenalectomized (ADX) and sham, which will be subdivided into postpartum days 5 (PPD5), 12 (PPD12) and 19 (PPD19). Preliminary Results: In our first experiment, we observed an increase in the number of MCH immunoreactive neurons into MPOA after the unilateral adrenalectomy procedure compared to the control group.