Adrenalectomy of Rats Results in Hypomyelination of the Central Nervous System

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Abstract
The effect of adrenalectomy on CNS myelin accumulation was investigated to determine whether glucocorticoids play a role in regulating myelination. When 14‐day‐old rats were adrenalectomized and sacrificed 7–8 days later, the amount of bulk‐isolated myelin in whole brain, as expressed per gram wet weight of brain or per milligram DNA‐phosphate, was reduced to about 75% that of sham‐operated controls. Both brain weight and DNA content were unchanged by adrenalectomy. Examination of individual brain regions also revealed decreased amounts of myelin in adrenalectomized animals. Brain glycerol 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase specific activity was reduced in adrenalectomized animals to 40–60% that of controls, and serum corticosterone levels were less than 0.6% of control levels. The amount of cerebral myelin in animals adrenalectomized on day 21 and sacrificed 9 days later was not significantly reduced. This suggests a possible role of glucocorticoids during the early period of rapid myelination.