Effect of infusing gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor agonists and antagonists into the medial preoptic area and ventromedial hypothalamus on prolactin secretion in male sheep.

We investigated the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists muscimol and baclofen (GABA(A) and GABA(B) agonists, respectively) and antagonists bicuculline methiodide (BMI, GABA(A) antagonist) or 2-hydroxysaclofen (SAC) and CGP 55845A (GABA(B) antagonists) on prolactin (PRL) secretion in castrated rams. The drugs were applied by microdialysis into either the medial preoptic area (mPOA) or ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). Dialysis of baclofen into the mPOA significantly increased mean PRL (p < 0.05), whereas SAC caused a small, but significant decrease (p < 0.01). Dialysis of either muscimol or BMI into the mPOA had no effect on prolactin. In the VMH, baclofen significantly increased (p < 0.01) mean PRL but SAC and CGP 55845A were ineffective, whereas dialysis of either muscimol or BMI increased mean prolactin (p < 0.01). These results show that infusion into the mPOA of drugs that affect GABA(B) receptor alter PRL release, whereas infusion of a GABA(A) agonists and antagonist was without effect on PRL release. In contrast, infusion of both GABA(A) and GABA(B) agonists and a GABA(A) antagonist into the VMH altered PRL secretion. This suggest that GABAergic neurons in both regions participate in regulating PRL secretion, but by different receptor systems.