[Reactions of the adrenal cortex to immobilization stress in intact animals and against a background of hypokinesia].

Morphological investigation of the rat adrenal cortex and corticosterone contents in the blood plasma demonstrated certain peculiarities in the adrenal reaction to the primary and repeated immobilization stress in intact animals and after hypokinesia. It has been stated that morphological manifestation to an acute stress reaction kinesia is less pronounced than at an analogous single effect. Investigation on corticosterone content in blood plasma revealed certain functional peculiarities in the adrenal cortex reactions in different variants of the experiments. Five hours after the beginning of the stress, corticosterone content was increased only at the initial immobilization, while at repeated stimulations during the same time it did not differ from the control. Changes in functional possibilities of the adrenal cortex in response to a repeated stimulation and in response to a new stimulation in animals previously adapted to another type of stress are discussed.