![[Feedback]](/icons/banner/feedbackACT.gif){kind=icon}
![[For Subscribers]](/icons/banner/subscriberACT.gif){kind=icon}
![[Archive]](/icons/banner/archiveACT.gif){kind=icon}
![[Search]](/icons/banner/searchACT.gif){kind=icon}
![[Contents]](/icons/banner/tocACT.gif){kind=icon}
|
|
|
|
|
||
Vol. 282, Issue 1, 318-325, 1997
-Aminobutyric AcidA Receptor Complex and the
Neurosteroid Recognition Site1,2
Department of Psychology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts
Agonists acting at benzodiazepine, 
-aminobutyric acidA,
barbiturate and neurosteroid recognition sites were studied for their attenuation of separation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) in rat
pups. The behavioral effects of the neuroactive steroid 3
-hydroxy-5-pregnan-20-one (allopregnanolone) were assessed when
the drug was administered alone and in combination with agonists and
antagonists acting at the -aminobutyric acidA receptor
complex. At 7 days postpartum, male and female Long-Evans rat pups were separated from the dam and littermates, and placed on a 20°C surface for 2 min. Allopregnanolone (1-30 mg/kg s.c.), alprazolam (0.03-1 mg/kg s.c.), diazepam (0.1-3 mg/kg s.c.), muscimol (0.03-0.3 mg/kg s.c.) and pentobarbital (1-30 mg/kg s.c.) dose-dependently decreased USV. Pretreatment with flumazenil (0.1 mg/kg s.c.) antagonized alprazolam's and diazepam's USV-suppressive effects; bicuculline (2 mg/kg s.c.) reversed muscimol's USV-suppressive effects.
Allopregnanolone (3 mg/kg s.c.) produced a 4- to 7-fold leftward shift
in alprazolam's and diazepam's USV-suppressive effects, and also
produced a modest leftward shift in pentobarbital's USV dose-effect
function. Neither flumazenil, bicuculline, nor picrotoxin (1 mg/kg
s.c.) altered allopregnanolone's USV-suppressive effects. These
results suggest that the USV-suppressive effects of the neurosteroid
allopregnanolone are mediated at the -aminobutyric acidA
receptor complex, and are independent from a direct action on the
benzodiazepine or -aminobutyric acidA recognition sites
on this complex.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. Nin, F. Salles, L. Azeredo, A. Frazon, R. Gomez, and H. Barros Antidepressant effect and changes of GABAA receptor {gamma}2 subunit mRNA after hippocampal administration of allopregnanolone in rats J Psychopharmacol, July 1, 2008; 22(5): 477 - 485. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. J. Toufexis, C. Davis, A. Hammond, and M. Davis Progesterone Attenuates Corticotropin-Releasing Factor-Enhanced But Not Fear-Potentiated Startle via the Activity of Its Neuroactive Metabolite, Allopregnanolone J. Neurosci., November 10, 2004; 24(45): 10280 - 10287. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. W. Fish, S. Faccidomo, S. Gupta, and K. A. Miczek Anxiolytic-Like Effects of Escitalopram, Citalopram, and R-Citalopram in Maternally Separated Mouse Pups J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., February 1, 2004; 308(2): 474 - 480. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. K. Rowlett, W. Tornatzky, J. M. Cook, C. Ma, and K. A. Miczek Zolpidem, Triazolam, and Diazepam Decrease Distress Vocalizations in Mouse Pups: Differential Antagonism by Flumazenil and {beta}-Carboline-3-carboxylate-t-butyl ester ({beta}-CCt) J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., April 1, 2001; 297(1): 247 - 253. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Falkenstein, H.-C. Tillmann, M. Christ, M. Feuring, and M. Wehling Multiple Actions of Steroid Hormones---A Focus on Rapid, Nongenomic Effects Pharmacol. Rev., December 1, 2000; 52(4): 513 - 556. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. E. Vanover, S. Rosenzweig-Lipson, J. E. Hawkinson, N. C. Lan, J. D. Belluzzi, L. Stein, J. E. Barrett, P. L. Wood, and R. B. Carter Characterization of the Anxiolytic Properties of a Novel Neuroactive Steroid, Co 2-6749 (GMA-839; WAY-141839; 3alpha , 21-Dihydroxy-3beta -trifluoromethyl-19-nor-5beta -pregnan-20-one), a Selective Modulator of gamma -Aminobutyric AcidA Receptors J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., October 1, 2000; 295(1): 337 - 345. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
