Abstract
Androgens may mediate anxiety behaviors; however, these effects and mechanisms of androgens are not well understood. The following experiments investigated whether testosterone (T)'s effects on anxiety behavior are mediated by its 5α-reduced, nonaromatizable metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and/or its 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-HSD) reduced metabolite 3α-androstanediol (3α-diol). In Experiment 1, gonadally-intact adult male rats and gonadectomized (GDX), DHT-replaced rats had similar low levels of anxiety behavior in the open field and elevated plus maze and fear behavior in the defensive freezing task compared with GDX control rats. In Experiment 2, intact or DHT-replaced rats that received blank inserts to the hippocampus demonstrated less anxiety behavior than did rats administered an implant of indomethacin, a 3α-HSD inhibitor, to the dorsal hippocampus. These data indicate that T's 5α-reduced metabolite, DHT, can reduce anxiety behavior and that blocking metabolism to 3α-diol in the hippocampus can attenuate these effects.
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 callDisclaimer: 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.
