Effects of trauma and pain on the acute anterior pituitary hormonal response

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of trauma and pain on the pituitary gland so as to determine whether pain is a significant component in the general acute hormonal trauma response. Adenohypophysis of rabbits that have undergone either diffuse traumatic brain injury or pain were investigated using immunohistochemistry. The ACTH staining pattern of the pain-administered rabbits was not as strong as the head-trauma-administered group, whereas PRL staining pattern of the former group was not so weak as the later group. As a conclusion, since adrenocorticotrophic hormone and prolactin staining patterns were different in the trauma administered and pain induced groups; it may be postulated that pain alone may not be an important factor in the hormonal response to trauma. © 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.