The neurosteroid Allopregnanolone decrease receptivity and anxiety behavior in female rats.

ESCUDERO C; F GIULIANI; V BAZZOCCHINI; GARCÍA S; LACONI M; YUNES R; CABRERA R

San Luis

Congreso; XXVII REUNION CIENTIFICA ANUAL DE LA SOCIEDAD DE BIOLOGIA DE CUYO; 2009

Sociedad de Biologia de Cuyo

Gonadal and adrenal steroids heavily impact sexual function in the brain. The nervous system synthesizes steroids de novo from cholesterol, called neurosteroids. The Allopregnanolone (Allo) levels, change also with behavioral and/ or environmental stimuli and may have a role in other reproductively-relevant behaviors, such as exploration, and anxiety (socio-sexual behaviours).To investigate these behavioural changes, ovariectomized (OVX) rats (8-10/group) were primed with estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) and infused 48 hrs later with vehicle (saline) or Allo (6ìM) to the lateral ventricule. Rats were assessed in a battery of exploratory (open field), anxiety (elevated plus maze), and sexual (paced mating) tasks. Results were expressed as the media ± SEM and statistically analyzed by t-test, p