Catecholaminergic innervation of neurons containing corticotropin-releasing factor in the paraventricular nucleus of the rat hypothalamus.

Catecholaminergic synaptic input to neurons containing corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the parvocellular portion of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in the rat hypothalamus was observed. The experimental techniques used combine autoradiography after 3H-noradrenaline (3H-NA) injection or uptake of 5-hydroxydopamine (5-OHDA) with immunocytochemistry using CRF antiserum. CRF-like immunoreactive cell bodies and fibers in the PVN received synaptic inputs from the axon terminals in which a selective accumulation of 3H-NA or 5-OHDA was found. This finding suggests that the secretion of CRF neurons may be regulated via synapses by catecholaminergic neurons.