Testosterone locally increases vasopressin content but fails to restore choline acetyltransferase activity in other regions in the senescent male rat brain.
Age-related decreases have been reported in both vasopressinergic and cholinergic innervation in the rat brain. Since both systems are also sensitive to sex steroids, the effect of testosterone supplementation on vasopressin (AVP) levels and on choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity was investigated in the brains of young, middle-aged and aged male rats. Although no age-related changes in AVP levels were observed in the lateral septum or the medial amygdala (MA), peripheral testosterone administration raised AVP levels in the MA in all age groups. ChAT activity decreased with age in the medial preoptic area and was not restored by testosterone.
Goudsmit
E
E
Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, Amsterdam.
Luine
V N
VN
Swaab
D F
DF
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000378:metabolism*
D014667:Vasopressins; D013739:Testosterone; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase