Abstract

The effects of neonatal hormone manipulations on swim stress-induced analgesia (SSIA) magnitude and neurochemical quality were examined in Swiss-Webster mice of both sexes. Previous research has indicated that non-opioid SSIA mechanisms in adult Swiss-Webster mice are sexually dimorphic. Male mice exhibit non-opioid SSIA following a 3-min swim in cold (15°C) water that is antagonized by the non-competitive NMDA antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine; 0.075 mg/kg), whereas female mice do not display NMDA-mediated analgesia in the presence of estrogen. Since male and female mice show equipotent magnitudes of SSIA, it was concluded that female mice display a neurochemically distinct, estrogen-dependent SSIA mechanism specific to their gender. In the present study, female mice exposed to testosterone during the neonatal period display NMDA-mediated analgesia even in the presence of estrogen in adulthood. Thus, expression of the female-specific, estrogen-dependent SSIA mechanism previously described may be dependent on the absence of testosterone during early ontogeny.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.