Ether anesthesia differentially affects the content of prepro-corticotropin-releasing hormone, prepro-neurotensin/neuromedin N and prepro-enkephalin mRNAs in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of the rat.

The content of the mRNAs that code for prepro-corticotropin releasing hormone (ppCRH), prepro-neurotensin/neuromedin N (ppNT/NMN) and prepro-enkephalin (ppENK) was measured using in situ hybridization histochemistry in the various subdivisions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVH) 4 h after a bout of ether anesthesia. This treatment increased the content of ppENK mRNA only in a selected region of the dorsal medial parvicellular PVH (PVHmpd). PpNT/NMN mRNA was undetectable in the PVH of control animals, but hybridization was observed in the PVHmpd of anesthetized animals. The content of ppCRH mRNA was unchanged 4 h after ether aesthesia.