title: Increased dopamine transporter density in the male rat brain following chronic nandrolone decanoate administration.
abstract: Adolescent males currently employ anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) to become intoxicated, besides the traditional desires of an improved physical appearance and enhanced sports performance. Several studies indicate that AAS affect the brain reward system. Recently chronic administration with nandrolone decanoate to male rats has been shown to increase the dopamine transporter (DAT) density in the striatum visualised in vivo by positron emission tomography. The present study aimed to investigate if the increased DAT density could be confirmed using in vitro autoradiography following a comparable regimen of nandrolone treatment. Specific binding of 50 pM [125I] RTI-55 in the presence of 1 microM citalopram was used to label DAT. Two weeks of nandrolone decanoate administration at the supra-therapeutic doses 1, 5 and 15 mg/kg per day increased DAT density in the caudate putamen at all three doses. In conclusion, this study confirms that chronic nandrolone administration increases dopamine transporter density in the CPU and therefore supports the theory that AAS affects the dopamine system in the male rat brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Bioscience, Division of Biological Research on Drug Dependence, Uppsala University, Box 591, S-75124 Uppsala, Sweden. anna.kindlundh@farmbio.uu.se
authors.forename: Anna M S
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kindlundh
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindblom
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nyberg
mesh_terms: D045930:Anabolic Agents; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009277:Nandrolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077603:Nandrolone Decanoate; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D045930:Anabolic Agents; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493216:Slc6a3 protein, rat; D009277:Nandrolone; D000077603:Nandrolone Decanoate