Direct effects of androgens on lateral hypothalamic neuronal activity in the male rat: I. A microiontophoretic study.
Unit neuronal activity in the lateral hypothalamic-medial forebrain bundle region (LHA-MFB) of the male rat is modified following an increase of plasma testosterone level. In order to determine possible direct action of hormones on LHA-MFB neurons, unit discharge frequencies were recorded during local microiontophoresis of testosterone and estradiol, and electroosmotic application of cholesterol. Thirteen cells did not respond, 9 were nonspecifically depressed by all the steroids tested, 13 were excited by both sex-steroids, and 11 were specifically activated by testosterone. The short latencies of the responses suggest a direct effect of steroids on the plasma membrane sites.
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D007478:Iontophoresis / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008474:Medial Forebrain Bundle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D008845:Microinjections; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D002784:Cholesterol