The area postrema is involved in paraquat-induced conditioned aversion behavior and neuroendocrine activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis

Paraquat is a herbicide capable of eliciting conditioned taste aversion (CTA), a behavioral response characteristic of toxicosis. The area postrema (AP) is a hindbrain circumventricular organ previously shown to be important in mediating signs of paraquat-induced toxicity, namely CTA and weight loss. The relationship between neural substrates for paraquat-induced CTA and activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats with lesions centered on the AP (APX) and sham-operated (SHM) rats administered paraquat (25 mu mol/kg) or saline (1 ml/kg). Injection of paraquat at a dose sufficient to condition taste aversion, but produce no other signs of overt toxicity, significantly increased plasma corticosterone concentrations in SHM rats up to 4 h after administration. Paraquat-induced activation of the HPA axis was significantly attenuated in AP-lesioned rats as compared to sham-operated controls. These findings suggest the area postrema is a common neural substrate for the behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to paraquat.