title: Behavioural anxiolytic effects of low-dose anabolic androgenic steroid treatment in rats.
abstract: The use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) in supratherapeutic doses has been associated with aggressive behaviour as well as with severe affective and psychotic symptoms. These symptoms usually follow a chronic exposure for several months. However, AAS also may have milder effects with hypomania-like features such as an increase in confidence, energy and self-esteem. We have studied the short-term effects on male rat behaviour in a modified open-field test of the AAS Metenolon administered three times at a low dose (0.01 mg/kg/week x 3). The control rats showed indications of increased timidity and aversive learning following retesting, a reaction that was absent in the AAS-treated rats. The AAS-treated rats showed less fear or anticipatory anxiety compared to control animals. Furthermore, the suppressed marking behaviour and altered morphological allometric relationships were compatible with a modified social and sexual competence in the AAS treated rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. greta.agren@fyfa.ki.se
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agren
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thiblin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tirassa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lundeberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stenfors
mesh_terms: D000378:Agonistic Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013731:Territoriality
chemical_list: D045930:Anabolic Agents