Effect of acute exposure to cold on the levels of corticosterone and pituitary hormones in plasma collected from free conscious cannulated rats.

To investigate the initial response of the pituitary and adrenal cortex functionings of rats acutely exposed to cold, we developed a technique for cannulation which allowed sequential blood collection from conscious and freed rats. Two cannulae were inserted, one into the carotid artery used for collection and the other into the femoral vein for blood transfusion to keep the blood volume constant. Significant increases in plasma corticosterone and thyrotropin were evoked within 15 min after exposure. While plasma growth hormone (GH) slightly decreased, and the prolactin level tended to fall by 1 hr after cold exposure but the difference was not significant as compared with control values.