title: Progesterone enhances ethanol-induced modulation of mesocortical dopamine neurons: antagonism by finasteride.
abstract: The effect of endogenous 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-TH PROG) on the modulation of mesocortical dopamine extracellular concentration by ethanol was investigated by microdialysis in rats. Intraperitoneal injection of progesterone (5 mg/kg, once a day for 5 days) increased the cortical content of 3alpha,5alpha-TH PROG and potentiated the biphasic effect of acute intraperitoneal administration of ethanol on dopamine content. A dose of ethanol (0.25 g/kg) that was ineffective in naïve rats induced a 55% increase in dopamine extracellular concentration in rats pretreated with progesterone. This increase was similar to that induced by a higher dose (0.5 g/kg) of ethanol in naïve rats. Administration of ethanol at 0.5 g/kg to progesterone-pretreated rats inhibited dopamine content by an extent similar to that observed with an even higher dose (1 g/kg) in naïve rats. The administration of the 5alpha-reductase inhibitor finasteride (25 mg/kg, subcutaneous), together with progesterone, prevented the effects of the latter, both on the cortical concentration of 3alpha,5alpha-TH PROG and on the modulation by ethanol of dopamine content. These data suggest that 3alpha,5alpha-TH PROG contributes to the action of ethanol on the mesocortical dopaminergic system. They also suggest that physiological fluctuations in the brain concentrations of neuroactive steroids associated with the oestrous cycle, menopause, pregnancy and stress may alter the response of mesocortical dopaminergic neurons to ethanol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biology, Center of Excellence for Neurobiology of Drug Dependence, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy. dazzi@unica.it
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dazzi
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seu
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cherchi
authors.forename: M Giuseppina
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pisu
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Purdy
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biggio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018120:Finasteride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D000431:Ethanol; D011374:Progesterone; D018120:Finasteride; D011280:Pregnanolone; D004298:Dopamine