Circadian rhythm of Arg-vasopressin contents in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in relation to corticosterone.

Circadian rhythms of locomotor activity and adrenal glucocorticoid are controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the center of a biological clock, in mammals. Arg-vasopressin (AVP) contents in the SCN play a role in endogenous circadian rhythm during the absence of time cues. The AVP-containing neurons in the SCN are considered to transmit a circadian signal to the other parts of the brain. The circadian rhythms of AVP in the SCN in relation to the plasma corticosterone and locomotor activity were investigated. Under the light-dark cycle, plasma corticosterone levels were reciprocally correlated with the AVP content in the SCN. Under free-running conditions with constant dim light, AVP rhythms were reciprocally synchronized with the locomotor activity. The correlation of AVP with plasma corticosterone is different at different times of the day both under the LD cycle and constant dim light. Dexamethasone (i. p., 0.1 mg/100) increased the AVP contents, and this tendency was significantly greater during the dark period. These results indicate that corticosterone in the blood may regulate the circadian rhythm through AVP variation in the SCN. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.