Plasma levels of corticosterone and testosterone after sexual activity in male rats treated neonatally with clomipramine.
Neonatal treatment with clomipramine (CMI) in rats, induces alterations of pleasure-seeking behaviors during adulthood. Alterations of hormonal responses to stressful situations have also been reported. In this study, the levels of corticosterone and testosterone in response to sexual activity were assessed in rats treated neonatally with CMI. Male pups received subcutaneous injections of CMI (15 mg/kg, 0.1 ml), twice a day (09.00 hours and 18.00 hours) from 8 to 21 days of age. A control group received saline in the same number of injections. Four months after CMI treatment, subjects (Ss) were submitted to the forced swim test to verify the effect of CMI. Thereafter, they were tested to assess their spontaneous sexual activity. Plasma levels of corticosterone and testosterone were assessed under different conditions. Results of sexual behavior and the forced swim test corroborate the depressive-like effect of CMI. The sole presence of an estrogenized stimulus female caused an increase in plasma levels of testosterone in both control and CMI-treated Ss. The same was true for corticosterone; however, this increase was significantly lower in the CMI-treated group. There is a discrepancy between the normal hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) response and the decreased sexual behavior. The data suggest that CMI induces permanent changes in the reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Bonilla-Jaime
H
H
Departemento de Biología de la Reproductión, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
Retana-Márquez
S
S
Vazquez-Palacios
G
G
Velázquez-Moctezuma
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002997:Clomipramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D007103:Immobilization; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D013550:Swimming; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D013739:Testosterone; D002997:Clomipramine; D003345:Corticosterone