Benzodiazepine receptor antagonists reverse the effect of diazepam on plasma corticosterone in stressed rats

The aim of this work has been to investigate the mechanism by which diazepam counteracts the plasma corticosterone rise induced by stress in rats. This effect is reversed by pretreatment with RO151788 and CGS8216. This observation suggests that the effect is mediated by benzodiazepine-specific receptors in brain.