title: Neonatal exposure to estradiol decreases hypothalamic allopregnanolone concentrations and alters agonistic and sexual but not affective behavior in adult female rats.
abstract: Exposure of developing female rats to estradiol during the perinatal period induced long-lasting dysregulation of gonadal axis and decreased cerebrocortical and plasma concentrations of allopregnanolone. We have now examined the effects of neonatal estradiol administration in female rats on hypothalamic allopregnanolone concentrations and on exploratory, affective, agonistic and sexual behaviors as well as social learning. A single administration of β-estradiol 3-benzoate (EB, 10μg) on the day of birth resulted in a delay of vaginal opening, acyclicity and ovarian failure. These alterations were associated with a significant decrease in the concentrations of allopregnanolone in the hypothalamus at 21 and 60days, but not at 7days, after birth. Neonatal administration of EB also increased agonistic behaviors in adult rats, such as dominant behaviors and following of an ovariectomized intruder, while living attacks unaffected. EB-treated rats showed also an increase in anogenital investigation, associated with a drastic reduction in spontaneous and induced female sexual behaviors (receptivity and proceptivity). In contrast, neonatal administration of EB did not affect locomotor activity, anxiety- and mood-related behaviors, the social transmission of flavor preferences, and seizures sensitivity. These effects of estradiol suggest that it plays a major role in regulation of both the abundance of allopregnanolone and the expression of agonistic and sexual behaviors, while failing to influence affective behaviors and social learning. Thus, the pronounced and persistent decrease in hypothalamic allopregnanolone concentration may be related to the manifestation of agonistic and sexual behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berretti
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santoru
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Locci
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sogliano
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calza
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Choleris
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Porcu
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: aconcas@unica.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Concas
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol; D011280:Pregnanolone
keywords: Affect; Agonistic behavior; Allopregnanolone; Hypothalamus; Neonatal estradiol; Sexual behavior; Social learning