[3H]imipramine binding in discrete brain areas is affected by castration in male rats.
In adult male rats, castration induces a progressive decrease in the number of [3H]imipramine binding sites in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus, and a progressive increase in the hippocampus. Testosterone completely prevents this effect of castration, but has no effect on the characteristics of brain imipramine binding sites in intact, non-castrated animals. These data suggest that threshold levels of testosterone are necessary for the maintenance of a normal number of imipramine binding sites in the rat brain, but that these binding sites are not modified by excess testosterone.
Sandrini
M
M
Institute of Pharmacology, University of Modena, Italy.
Vergoni
A V
AV
Bertolini
A
A
D000818:Animals; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D007099:Imipramine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D013739:Testosterone; D007099:Imipramine