Effect of steroid injection to newborn rats on serotonin activity in frontal cortex and raphe.
The effects of injecting testosterone propionate or estradiol benzoate to newborn rats on dopaminergic and serotoninergic activity in the frontal cortex, dorsal and median raphe nucleus were analyzed when animals reached adulthood. High performance liquid chromatography was used to measure tissue levels of dopamine, serotonin and its metabolites. Activity was calculated as the metabolite/neurotransmitter ratio. An increase in androgen or estrogen levels at birth caused a significant decrease in serotoninergic activity in the frontal cortex and in the dorsal raphe nucleus, without causing apparent changes in dopaminergic activity; serotinergic activity in the median raphe nucleus was not affected. The results suggest that the transmission of DA and 5-HT in these structures are differentially influenced by early androgenization or estrogenization.
Dominguez
Roberto
R
Laboratório de Psicobiologia, Departamento de Psicobgía, FFCLRP-USP, Ribeirão Preto, Brasil. rdcdsala@hotmail.com
Cruz-Morales
Sara E
SE
Carvalho
Milene C
MC
Xavier
Maristela
M
Brandao
Marcus L
ML
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007211:Indoles / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D007211:Indoles; C074283:estradiol 3-benzoate; D012701:Serotonin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; C024139:indole-3-lactic acid