Acute effect of intragastric ethanol administration on plasma levels of stress hormones.

We have previously demonstrated that single-dose ethanol administration enhanced plasma levels of ACTH, beta-endorphin, corticosterone (CS) and catecholamines. Since the secretion of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides (e.g., ACTH, beta-endorphin) can be influenced by catecholamines and vasopressin in addition to the primary physiological regulator, corticotrophin-releasing hormone, we have attempted to determine whether or not the ethanol-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) could in part be mediated via either epinephrine or vasopressin (AVP) secretion. The selective neutralization of AVP through the administration of AVP antiserum failed to block the ethanol-induced secretion of either ACTH or CS. In addition, adrenal demedullation did not significantly attenuate the ethanol-induced increase of ACTH and CS. It would appear that neither adrenal medulla-derived epinephrine nor median eminence-derived AVP mediates ethanol's activation of the HPAA.