Abstract
Changes in reproductive hormones, such as estrogen, play a role in mood regulation. The present study examined strain differences (Long-Evans vs. Wistar-Hannover) in the behavioral and biochemical effects of estrogen manipulation. Adult ovariectomized female rats were treated with estradiol, vehicle, or withdrawn from estradiol. The two strains demonstrated differential behavioral responses to short-term estradiol administration in the forced swim test; estradiol induced an antidepressant-like effect in Long-Evans rats but not in Wistar rats. Conversely, withdrawal from estradiol resulted in a depressive-like state in the Wistar rats but not in the Long-Evans rats. Western blot analyses found no differences in estrogen receptors α and β within the hippocampus or the frontal cortex, two brain areas strongly implicated in affective disorders. These data demonstrate the importance of strain as a variable when interpreting behavioral effects of estrogen.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 81-86 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Physiology and Behavior |
| Volume | 106 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 15 May 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Depression
- Estrogen
- Estrogen receptors
- Forced swim test
- Strain differences
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience