title: Changes in stress-stimulated allopregnanolone levels induced by neonatal estradiol treatment are associated with enhanced dopamine release in adult female rats: reversal by progesterone administration.
abstract: Allopregnanolone plays a role in the stress response and homeostasis. Alterations in the estrogen milieu during the perinatal period influence brain development in a manner that persists into adulthood. Accordingly, we showed that a single administration of estradiol benzoate (EB) on the day of birth decreases brain allopregnanolone concentrations in adult female rats.
  
  
  
  We examined whether the persistent decrease in allopregnanolone concentrations, induced by neonatal EB treatment, might affect sensitivity to stress during adulthood.
  
  
  
  Female rats were treated with 10 μg of EB or vehicle on the day of birth. During adulthood, the response to acute foot shock stress was assessed by measuring changes in brain allopregnanolone and corticosterone levels, as well as extracellular dopamine output in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC).
  
  
  
  Neonatal EB treatment enhanced stress-stimulated allopregnanolone levels in the hypothalamus, as well as extracellular dopamine output in the mPFC; this latest effect is reverted by subchronic progesterone treatment. By contrast, neonatal EB treatment did not alter stress-induced corticosterone levels, sensitivity to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis negative feedback, or abundance of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors.
  
  
  
  The persistent decrease in brain allopregnanolone concentrations, induced by neonatal EB treatment, enhances stress-stimulated allopregnanolone levels and extracellular dopamine output during adulthood. These effects are not associated to an impairment in HPA axis activity. Heightened sensitivity to stress is a risk factor for several neuropsychiatric disorders; these results suggest that exposure to estrogen during development may predispose individuals to such disorders.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, 09042, Cagliari, Italy. patrizia.porcu@in.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Porcu
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lallai
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Locci
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catzeddu
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, 09042, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giuseppina
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pisu
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, 09042, Cagliari, Italy.|Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dazzi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cittadella Universitaria, Monserrato, 09042, Cagliari, Italy.|Department of Life and Environment Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Concas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011372:Progestins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D018161:Receptors, Mineralocorticoid; C074283:estradiol 3-benzoate; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011280:Pregnanolone; D004298:Dopamine; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: Allopregnanolone; Corticosterone; Dopamine; Female rat; Neonatal estradiol; Stress