Hippocampal cell nuclear binding of corticosterone following 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine.

Adult male rats were injected into the lateral brain ventricle with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT). They were adrenalectomized 5-7 days later and, following an additional 24 h, the specific in vitro [3H]corticosterone binding capacity of dorsal hippocampal slices was determined by estimation of uptake of radioactivity by the nuclear fraction. Specific corticosterone (CS) binding was reduced by 50-70% in the neurotoxin-treated as compared to vehicle-injected animals. Brain serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentrations were depleted by 50-70% in the 5,7-DHT-injected rats. These results suggest that the maintenance of normal dorsal hippocampal CS binding capacity is dependent upon the integrity of endogenous brain serotoninergic neuronal systems.