title: Central allopregnanolone is increased in rat pups in response to repeated, short episodes of neonatal isolation.
abstract: This experiment investigated whether neonatal isolation stress alters central concentrations of progestins. Whole brain progesterone (P), dihydroprogesterone (DHP), and allopregnanolone (3alpha, 5alpha-THP) were measured in pups that were isolated from the nest, dam, and siblings for 1 h on postnatal days (PND) 2-9 and were compared to control litters of pups that were not isolated. Isolated 2-day-old pups had significantly lower central P and higher P to DHP and 3alpha, 5alpha-THP metabolism ratios. On PND 9, pups that had been repeatedly isolated (PND 2-8), had significantly lower whole brain DHP and significantly greater whole brain 3alpha, 5alpha-THP compared to controls. Thus, the biosocial stress of isolation in neonatal rats alters central pregnane steroids.
authors: Department of Psychology, Trinity College, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106, USA. priscilla.kehoe@trincoll.edu
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Kehoe
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Mallinson
authors: C M
authors: CM
authors: McCormick
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Frye
mesh_terms: D004092:20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012016:Reference Values; D012934:Social Isolation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004092:20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone; D011374:Progesterone; D011280:Pregnanolone