title: Corticosterone -- an anxiogenic or an anxiolytic agent?
abstract: Corticosterone (3--12 mg kg-1, i.p., giving rise to plasma corticosterone concentrations from 26.7 to 89.0 micrograms/100 ml) failed to have a significant anxiogenic action. Instead, corticosterone (3 mg kg-1) had a significant anxiolytic effect in the social interaction test of anxiety. Adrenalectomized rats had very low levels of social interaction; but adrenalectomized rats that had been given replacement corticosterone therapy did not differ from the sham-operated controls. Thus, corticosterone appears to have the opposite effect to that previously reported for ACTH. Possible mechanisms for the observed results are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012919:Social Behavior; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D003345:Corticosterone