The role of the adrenal medulla in the psychosomatic activity and reactivity to stresses
Mandache, F.L.; Poenaru, A.; Pambuccian, G.; Ghergut, A.; Cretulescu, G.; Stoica, A.; Slăvescu, V.
Endocrinologie 16(3): 171-178
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0253-1801 PMID: 211573 Document Number: 133111
In a clinical study carried out in a group of 36 patients with duodenal ulcer, a correlation was found in 38% of the patients between the vagal neurogenic hyperacidity and the sympathetico-adrenergic constitutional terrain revealed by the eosinopenic response to ACTH. The role of the adrenal medulla was investigated experimentally in rats under stress induced by intermittent electric stimuli for 8 h. The animals in the experimental model showed mean blood adrenaline levels 7 times higher than normal as well as acute digestive lesions of variable intensity in the stomach and marked vascular dilatations, spongiocyte-like cells with vacuolated protoplasm and lipid depletion in the adrenal medulla. When medullosclerosis of the adrenal glands was performed 2 mo. prior to the electrically induced stresses the mean adrenaline level increased 2.7 times and that of noradrenaline 1.5 times less than in the stressed nonoperated animals and the gastric lesions were more seldom observed and less severe. The electroencephalogram showed a diminution of the encephalon bioelectric activity. The behavior of conditioned avoidance response (CAR) appeared after a longer period than in the stressed nonoperated animals but it was more stable in time. In dogs with medullosclerosis the decrease of the blood eosinophil count after injection of ACTH was half that in nonoperated animals.