title: Neurosteroid modulation of neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission in the rat medial vestibular nuclei.
abstract: In rat brainstem slices, we investigated the influence of the neurosteroids tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) and allopregnanolone (ALLO) on the synaptically driven and spontaneous activity of vestibular neurons, by analysing their effects on the amplitude of the field potentials evoked in the medial vestibular nuclei (MVN) by vestibular afferent stimulation and on the spontaneous firing rate of MVN neurons. Furthermore, the interaction with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate receptors was analysed by using specific antagonists for GABA(A) (bicuculline), alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/ kainate [2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo(f)quinoxaline-7-sulphonamide disodium salt (NBQX)], N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) [D-(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5)] and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu-I) [(R,S)-1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid (AIDA)] receptors. THDOC and ALLO evoked two opposite long-lasting effects, consisting of either a potentiation or a reduction of field potential and firing rate, which showed early and late components, occurring in conjunction or separately after neurosteroid application. The depressions depended on GABA(A) receptors, as they were abolished by bicuculline, while early potentiation involved glutamate AMPA/kainate receptors, as NBQX markedly reduced the incidence of early firing rate enhancement and, in the case of ALLO, even provoked depression. This suggests that THDOC and ALLO enhance the GABA(A) inhibitory influence on the MVN neurons and facilitate the AMPA/kainate facilitatory one. Conversely, a late potentiation effect, which was still induced after glutamate and GABA(A) receptor blockade, might involve a different mechanism. We conclude that the modulation of neuronal activity in the MVN by THDOC and ALLO, through their actions on GABA(A) and AMPA/kainate receptors, may have a physiological role in regulating the vestibular system function under normal conditions and during the stress response that accompanies many forms of vestibular dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, I-06126 Perugia, Italy. sgrassi@unipg.it
authors.forename: Silvarosa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frondaroli
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dieni
authors.forename: Mayank B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Dutia
authors.forename: Vito E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Pettorossi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D014726:Vestibular Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D013256:Steroids; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone; C009413:tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone; D011280:Pregnanolone; D001640:Bicuculline