The thyroadrenal axis, food deprivation and retention of a behavioural response.

The effects of adrenalectomy on retention of the immobile response in the Porsolt swimming rat test are equally reversed by dexamethasone, ketocyclazocine and thyroxine; the effects of hypothyroidism are similarly equally well reversed by all three agents, or by adrenalectomy. Animals food deprived for 24 h lose the response, but retain it after 48 h food deprivation; the latter effect is blocked by adrenalectomy. These counterintuitive findings suggest hitherto unrecognized commonalities and/or interactions in the metabolic effects of the thyroid and adrenal glands.