Vasopressin and oxytocin in the rat spinal cord: distribution and origins in comparison to [Met]enkephalin, dynorphin and related opioids and their irresponsiveness to stimuli modulating neurohypophyseal secretion.

Millan MJ, Millan MH, Członkowski A, Herz A

Neuroscience1 Sept 1984Cited by 41 (Europe PMC)

PMID6149493DOI10.1016/0306-4522(84)90268-9PepBankPUB-06149493

Publisher page PubMedAsk about this study

Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study10

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured10

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

01AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, immunoreactive oxytocin was present in greater concentrations in dorsal than ventral spinal cord.
In plain wordsIn rats, the body's own oxytocin was higher in dorsal than ventral spinal cord.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseOxytocin concentration in dorsal versus ventral spinal cord
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord and neurointermediate pituitary
Comparator
ventral spinal cord
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin, -dynorphin, -dynorphin-(1-8), -alpha-neo-endorphin and -[Met]enkephalin were, in each case, present in greater concentrations in dorsal as compared to ventral, and lumbo-sacral as compared to cervico-thoracic, spinal cord.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949301
02AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, the regional differences in spinal cord were significantly more pronounced for oxytocin and vasopressin than for the opioid peptides.
In plain wordsIn rats, the body's own oxytocin varied between spinal cord regions more than the opioid peptides did.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseRegional differences of oxytocin versus opioid peptides
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord and neurointermediate pituitary
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
These differences were significantly more pronounced for vasopressin and oxytocin than for the other peptides.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin, -dynorphin, -dynorphin-(1-8), -alpha-neo-endorphin and -[Met]enkephalin were, in each case, present in greater concentrations in dorsal as compared to ventral, and lumbo-sacral as compared to cervico-thoracic, spinal cord.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949302
03AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, lesions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus depleted immunoreactive oxytocin throughout the spinal cord.
In plain wordsIn rats, damage to the paraventricular nucleus lowered the body's own oxytocin throughout the spinal cord.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseSpinal oxytocin after paraventricular nucleus lesion
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord and neurointermediate pituitary
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Lesions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus depleted levels of immunoreactive-vasopressin and -oxytocin throughout the cord whereas levels of the opioid peptides therein were unaffected.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949303
04AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, destruction of the supraoptic nucleus did not change immunoreactive oxytocin in the spinal cord.
In plain wordsIn rats, destruction of the supraoptic nucleus did not change the body's own oxytocin in the spinal cord.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeSpinal oxytocin after supraoptic nucleus destruction
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord and neurointermediate pituitary
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
In contrast, destruction of either the supraoptic or suprachiasmatic nucleus failed to change the content of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin or any of the opioid peptides in the cord.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949304
05AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, 3 days of dehydration depressed immunoreactive oxytocin in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary.
In plain wordsIn rats, three days without water lowered the body's own oxytocin in the pituitary lobe.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseNeurointermediate lobe oxytocin after dehydration
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord and neurointermediate pituitary
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Dehydration for 3 days depressed levels of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin and -dynorphin in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949305
06AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, dehydration did not modify immunoreactive oxytocin levels in the spinal cord.
In plain wordsIn rats, dehydration did not change the body's own oxytocin in the spinal cord.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeSpinal oxytocin after dehydration
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord and neurointermediate pituitary
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
In distinction, the levels of these were not modified in the spinal cord.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Dehydration for 3 days depressed levels of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin and -dynorphin in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949306
07AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, dexamethasone elevated immunoreactive oxytocin in the neurointermediate pituitary.
In plain wordsIn rats, the steroid dexamethasone raised the body's own oxytocin in the pituitary lobe.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseNeurointermediate lobe oxytocin after dexamethasone
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord and neurointermediate pituitary
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Further, treatment with the synthetic corticosteroid, dexamethasone, elevated levels of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin and -dynorphin in the neurointermediate pituitary whereas these were unaffected in the spinal cord.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949307
08AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, dexamethasone did not affect immunoreactive oxytocin in the spinal cord.
In plain wordsIn rats, dexamethasone did not change the body's own oxytocin in the spinal cord.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeSpinal oxytocin after dexamethasone
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord and neurointermediate pituitary
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Further, treatment with the synthetic corticosteroid, dexamethasone, elevated levels of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin and -dynorphin in the neurointermediate pituitary whereas these were unaffected in the spinal cord.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949308
09AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, immunoreactive oxytocin was present in greater concentrations in lumbo-sacral than cervico-thoracic spinal cord.
In plain wordsIn rats, the body's own oxytocin was higher in lumbo-sacral than cervico-thoracic spinal cord.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreaseOxytocin concentration in lumbo-sacral versus cervico-thoracic spinal cord
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord
Comparator
cervico-thoracic spinal cord
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin, -dynorphin, -dynorphin-(1-8), -alpha-neo-endorphin and -[Met]enkephalin were, in each case, present in greater concentrations in dorsal as compared to ventral, and lumbo-sacral as compared to cervico-thoracic, spinal cord.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949309
10AnimalEndogenous levelAnimal study (in vivo)Mechanism
In rats, destruction of the suprachiasmatic nucleus did not change immunoreactive oxytocin in the spinal cord.
In plain wordsIn rats, destruction of the suprachiasmatic nucleus did not change the body's own oxytocin in the spinal cord.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeSpinal oxytocin after suprachiasmatic nucleus destruction
Study
ratn: not reported in source
rat spinal cord
Outcome group
Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
In contrast, destruction of either the supraoptic or suprachiasmatic nucleus failed to change the content of immunoreactive-vasopressin, -oxytocin or any of the opioid peptides in the cord.
This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.
Report a problemFND-0614949310

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 20:03 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:52 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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