Serotonergic Changes in Specific Areas of Rat Brain Associated with Activity-Stress Gastric Lesions

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Abstract
To study serotonergic involvement in the development of gastric lesions following activity wheel stress, three groups of rats (gastric lesions, no gastric lesions, and home—cage controls) were killed following exposure to the experimental procedures. The brains were dissected into eight specific areas and subjected to analyses for serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) using high performance liquid chromatography with EC detection. Lower levels of 5-HT were found in the midbrain, cortex, and hippocampus of rats with gastric lesions compared to either the no lesion group, subjected to shorter periods of activity—stress, or the home—cage control group. Levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA were elevated in the pons/medulla oblongata of both the lesion and the no lesion groups compared to the home—cage controls. Corticosterone levels in blood were also significantly elevated in the lesion group. These data on serotonin changes in the CNS suggest a possible role for this neurotransmitter in stress-induced gastric pathology.