Sympathetic control of metabolic and hormonal responses to exercise in rats

H Galbo, Erik A. Richter, N J Christensen, J J Holst

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    Abstract

    The importance of the sympatho-adrenal system for the pancreatic hormonal response to exercise and, furthermore, the role of glucagon and catecholamines for the hepatic glycogen depletion during exercise were studied. Rats were either surgically adrenomedullectomized and chemically sympathectomized with 6-hydroxydopamine or shamtreated. Two weeks later the rats had either rabbit-antiglucagon serum or normal rabbit serum injected. Subsequently the rats either rested or swam with a tail weight for 75 min. Immediately afterwards cardiac blood was drawn and liver and muscle tissue collected. In control rats in spite of an increase in blood glucose concentrati4ns during exercise plasma insulin concentrations were unchanged, while glucagon concentrations increased. In sympathectomized rats, compared to control rats, glucagon concentrations increased less, and insulin concentrations were higher, although glucose concentrations were lower during exercise. Sympathectomy completely abolished the exercise-induced decrease in liver and muscle glycogen concentrations, whereas neither glycogen depletion nor plasma catecholamine concentrations were influenced by the administration of glucagon antibodies. These findings indicate that the sympatho-adrenal system enhances glucagon secretion as well as muscular and hepatic glycogen depletion but inhibits insulin secretion in exercising rats. The increase in glucagon concentrations, however, does not enhance hepatic glycogen depletion at the work load used.

    Original languageEnglish
    JournalActa Physiologica Scandinavica
    Volume102
    Issue number4
    Pages (from-to)441-449
    Number of pages9
    ISSN0001-6772
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1978

    Keywords

    • Adrenal Medulla
    • Animals
    • Epinephrine
    • Glucagon
    • Glycogen
    • Hydroxydopamines
    • Immune Sera
    • Liver
    • Liver Glycogen
    • Male
    • Muscles
    • Norepinephrine
    • Pancreas
    • Physical Exertion
    • Rats
    • Sympathectomy
    • Sympathetic Nervous System

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