help button home button Endocrine Society Endocrinology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wardlaw, S. L.
Right arrow Articles by Frantz, A. G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Wardlaw, S. L.
Right arrow Articles by Frantz, A. G.

Endocrinology, Vol 113, 1664-1668, Copyright © 1983 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Brain beta-endorphin during pregnancy, parturition, and the postpartum period

SL Wardlaw and AG Frantz

Brain beta-endorphin (beta-EP) was measured in the rat during pregnancy, parturition, and the postpartum period. beta-EP increased in the hypothalamus, midbrain, and amygdala during gestation and remained elevated through delivery until 1-2 days postpartum. The concentration of beta-EP increased in the hypothalamus from 31.8 +/- 1.4 (+/- SE) ng/mg protein in nonpregnant controls to 41.4 +/- 1.8 and 39.2 +/- 1.9 during early (8-10 days) and late (18-20 days) pregnancy, respectively, and in the midbrain from 3.20 +/- 0.17 to 5.21 +/- 0.30 and 5.25 +/- 0.64 ng/mg protein (P less than 0.01). In another experiment, the brain content of beta-EP expressed as nanograms per region, increased from 12.6 +/- 0.29 to 14.7 +/- 0.33 in the hypothalamus, from 4.09 +/- 0.44 to 6.03 +/- 0.34 in the midbrain, and from 0.93 +/- 0.11 to 1.32 +/- 0.06 ng in the amygdala at 16-17 days of gestation compared with that in nonpregnant controls (P less than 0.01). When hypothalamic beta-EP was measured 1 week postpartum in lactating and nonlactating rats, a significant decline in the beta-EP concentration of both groups was noted compared with that measured during pregnancy; beta-EP levels were similar in the lactating and nonlactating rats. We conclude that pregnancy and parturition are associated with significant changes in brain beta-EP and suggest that beta-EP of central rather than peripheral origin may mediate changes in pain perception and maternal behavior during pregnancy.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
M. T. Aouad, S. S. Siddik, M. I. Jalbout, and A. S. Baraka
Does Pregnancy Protect Against Intrathecal Lidocaine-Induced Transient Neurologic Symptoms?
Anesth. Analg., February 1, 2001; 92(2): 401 - 404.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J PsychopharmacolHome page
E.B. Keverne
Psychopharmacology of maternal behaviour
J Psychopharmacol, January 1, 1996; 10(1): 16 - 22.
[PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Endocrinology Endocrine Reviews J. Clin. End. & Metab.
Molecular Endocrinology Recent Prog. Horm. Res. All Endocrine Journals
Copyright © 1983 by The Endocrine Society