Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Alters the Responsiveness of the Rat Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis to Nitric Oxide

Abstract

The ability of increased brain NO levels to release ACTH and stimulate PVN neuronal activity is enhanced in adult male rats exposed to alcohol prenatally. These data support the hypothesis that alterations in HPA axis activity in adult offspring of alcohol-exposed dams may be related to changes in hypothalamic responsiveness to NO.