PMID- 7914815
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19940921
LR  - 20190614
IS  - 0006-8993 (Print)
IS  - 0006-8993 (Linking)
VI  - 645
IP  - 1-2
DP  - 1994 May 9
TI  - Reduction of predator odor-induced anxiety in mice by the neurosteroid 3 
      alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 alpha HP).
PG  - 325-9
AB  - The effects of the centrally produced allylic neurosteroid, 3 
      alpha-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 alpha HP), on the responses of male mice to an 
      aversive, anxiety-inducing, predator (cat) odor were examined in an odor 
      preference test. Control untreated mice displayed an anxiogenic response to the 
      cat odor, spending a minimal amount of time in a Y-maze in the vicinity of the 
      cat odor. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administrations of 3 alpha HP had an 
      anxiolytic action, resulting in significant dose-related (0.01-1.0 micrograms) 
      increases in the amount of time spent in the proximity of the cat odor. These 
      anxiolytic effects of 3 alpha HP were stereospecific, with the stereoisomer, 3 
      beta-hydroxy-4-pregnen-20-one (3 beta HP) having no significant effects on odor 
      preferences. The analgesic, morphine, also had no significant effects on the 
      response to cat odor indicating that the anxiolytic actions of 3 alpha HP were 
      unlikely to be related to any analgesic effects. The effects of 3 alpha HP were 
      significantly reduced by peripheral administrations of the GABAA antagonists, 
      bicuculline and picrotoxin, but were unaffected by either the benzodiazepine 
      antagonist, Ro 15-1788, or the opiate antagonist, naloxone. These results 
      indicate that the allylic neurosteroid 3 alpha HP has anxiolytic actions 
      involving interactions with the GABAA receptor.
FAU - Kavaliers, M
AU  - Kavaliers M
AD  - Neuroscience Program, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 
      London, Canada.
FAU - Wiebe, J P
AU  - Wiebe JP
FAU - Galea, L A
AU  - Galea LA
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - Netherlands
TA  - Brain Res
JT  - Brain research
JID - 0045503
RN  - 0 (Anti-Anxiety Agents)
RN  - 145-14-2 (20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone)
RN  - 25680-68-6 (3-hydroxypregn-4-en-20-one)
SB  - IM
MH  - 20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology
MH  - Animals
MH  - Anti-Anxiety Agents/pharmacology
MH  - Anxiety/*etiology/*psychology
MH  - *Cats
MH  - Injections, Intraventricular
MH  - Male
MH  - Mice/*physiology
MH  - *Odorants
MH  - Predatory Behavior
EDAT- 1994/05/09 00:00
MHDA- 1994/05/09 00:01
CRDT- 1994/05/09 00:00
PHST- 1994/05/09 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1994/05/09 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1994/05/09 00:00 [entrez]
AID - 0006-8993(94)91667-5 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/0006-8993(94)91667-5 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Brain Res. 1994 May 9;645(1-2):325-9. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(94)91667-5.