Estrogen is necessary for 5alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-THP) infusion to the ventral tegmental area to facilitate social and sexual, but neither exploratory nor affective behavior of ovariectomized rats.
The progesterone metabolite, 5alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-THP, allopregnanolone), acts in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to facilitate exploratory, anti-anxiety, and socio-sexual behavior among ovariectomized (OVX), estrogen (E(2))-primed rats and gonadally-intact rats with high (proestrus) or low (diestrus) endogenous E(2) levels. The extent to which E(2) is required for these effects of 3alpha,5alpha-THP is not known. OVX rats were primed with systemic 17beta-estradiol (10 microg) or oil vehicle and were infused 44 h later with 3alpha,5alpha-THP (100 ng) or beta-cyclodextrin vehicle to the VTA, substantia nigra (SN), or central grey (CG). Rats were assessed in a battery of exploratory (open field), anxiety (elevated plus maze), social (partner preference, social interaction), and sexual (paced mating) tasks. E(2)-priming was necessary for 3alpha,5alpha-THP infusions to facilitate social interaction and mating and midbrain 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels were higher among E(2)-compared to vehicle-primed rats. Irrespective of E(2)-priming, rats infused with 3alpha,5alpha-THP to the VTA, but not SN or CG, demonstrated increased exploration in an open field, anti-anxiety behavior on an elevated plus maze, and preference for a male. Thus, actions of 3alpha,5alpha-THP in the VTA to enhance social and sexual behaviors were reliant on E(2) but increases in exploratory and anti-anxiety behavior were not.
Frye
C A
CA
Department of Psychology, The University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA. cafrye@albany.edu
Paris
J J
JJ
Rhodes
M E
ME
D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001070:Appetitive Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008845:Microinjections; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011187:Posture; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000502:physiology*
D004967:Estrogens; D013256:Steroids; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone; C009413:tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone; D004958:Estradiol
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