title: Effect of sex differences and gonadal hormones on kainic acid-induced neurodegeneration in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of the rat.
abstract: Previously we have demonstrated that medial nucleus of the amygdala, which is part of medial extended amygdala, is damaged by status epilepticus induced by kainic acid (KA) and this neurodegeneration was prevents by estrogen replacement. The medial bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BSTM) also belong to medial extended amygdala and it is uncertain whether the gonadal hormones are protective or not against this neurotoxicity in the BSTM. Here we show that a single i.p. injection of KA (9 mg/kg) induces neurodegeneration in the subnuclei of the BSTM of rats with different degrees of intensity in males and females. A differential neuroprotective effect of the gonadal hormones was also observed. In diestrous rats, massive neuronal death similar to that in the ovariectomized females was detected. BSTM neurons of proestrous rats, like the ovariectomized treated with estrogen, were significantly less affected by the KA. Testosterone produced a mild neuroprotective action, but dihydrotestosterone did not protect. A similar pattern was observed in all male groups. This results show that estrogen protects BSTM neurons from KA neurotoxicity and androgens are partially neuroprotective; and probably this effect of androgens is due to conversion to estrogen.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Neurofisiología y Psicofisiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina. gpereno@psyche.unc.edu.ar
authors.forename: German Leandro
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Pereno
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balaszczuk
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Beltramino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002369:Castration; D004031:Diestrus / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D042341:Gonadal Hormones / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D042341:Gonadal Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D007608:Kainic Acid