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Antidepressant and other centrally acting drugs regulate glucocorticoid receptor messenger RNA levels in rat brain.
- Source :
-
Psychoneuroendocrinology [Psychoneuroendocrinology] 1991; Vol. 16 (6), pp. 505-15. - Publication Year :
- 1991
-
Abstract
- The effect of imipramine, desipramine, ketanserin and lithium on Type II glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA levels was studied in rat brain regions involved in the control of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the dysregulation of which has been implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression. Northern blot analysis of Type II GR mRNA showed that treatment of male rats with either desipramine or imipramine increased hypothalamic and hippocampal GR mRNA levels. Upregulation of GR mRNA following administration of imipramine was found in brain regions of female rats, while desipramine had no effect. Ketanserin increased levels of GR mRNA in hippocampus of male, but not female, rats. Lithium also was able to induce important increases rat brain GR mRNA; this effect was particularly marked in females. We conclude that desipramine, imipramine, ketanserin and lithium can modulate GR mRNA in regions of rat brain involved in the control of the HPA axis and may have a common mechanism of action at the level of the GR gene. Sexual dimorphism for drug regulation of brain GR mRNA content was shown and may be related to sex differences in the prevalence of certain affective disorders.
- Subjects :
- Amygdala chemistry
Amygdala ultrastructure
Animals
Blotting, Northern
Brain physiology
Brain ultrastructure
Brain Chemistry drug effects
Desipramine pharmacology
Female
Hippocampus chemistry
Hippocampus ultrastructure
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System drug effects
Hypothalamus chemistry
Hypothalamus ultrastructure
Imipramine pharmacology
Ketanserin pharmacology
Lithium pharmacology
Male
Pituitary-Adrenal System drug effects
RNA, Messenger genetics
Rats
Rats, Inbred Strains
Receptors, Glucocorticoid analysis
Sex Characteristics
Up-Regulation drug effects
Up-Regulation genetics
Antidepressive Agents pharmacology
Brain Chemistry genetics
RNA, Messenger analysis
Receptors, Glucocorticoid genetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0306-4530
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 1811246
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(91)90034-q