Estrogen administration increases neuronal responses to excitatory amino acids as a long-term effect.
Ongoing studies from this laboratory have demonstrated marked potentiating actions of the sex steroid 17 beta-estradiol (E2) on glutamate-induced excitation. In the present study, systemic injection of a physiological dose of E2 was demonstrated to augment significantly excitatory responses of cerebellar Purkinje (Pnj) cells to iontophoretic application of the specific excitatory amino acid (e.a.a.) agonists quisqualate and N-methyl-D-aspartate. Potentiation of e.a.a. responses was observed as rapidly as 5-10 min post E2, and was, in many cases, a persistent, non-decremental effect. These observed long-term actions of E2 may provide one mechanism for the activating effects of the steroid on sensorimotor function and seizure activity.
Smith
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SS
Department of Anatomy, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192.
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016318:Quisqualic Acid; D051381:Rats
D010069:Oxadiazoles; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D004958:Estradiol; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016318:Quisqualic Acid