Lr. Lucas et al., EFFECTS OF DEOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACETATE AND DIAZEPAM ON NEUROPEPTIDERGIC NEURONS IN RAT STRIATUM, NeuroReport, 8(4), 1997, pp. 811-816
THE neurosteroid tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) interacts with
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)/ benzodiazepine (BZ) receptors. To test
the hypothesis that THDOC works partially through mechanisms associat
ed with GABA(A)/BZ receptor function, deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOC
A) and the benzodiazepine, diazepam (DZ), were administered short- (1
day) and long-term (11 days). Levels of mRNA for dynorphin, preprotach
ykinin and preproenkephalin in the striatum of adult male Sprague-Dawl
ey rats were measured by in situ hybridization. Acute DOCA and DZ trea
tment produced parallel neuropeptide mRNA profiles, whereas chronic DO
CA and DZ treatment yielded different patterns of neuropeptide gene ex
pression. Chronic DZ treatment resulted in no significant increase in
salt intake whereas chronic DOCA activated salt appetite. We suggest t
hat acute DZ and DOCA interact with GABA(A)/BZ receptors; however, the
results of chronic treatment suggest that DZ and DOCA operate through
dissimilar mechanisms.