ESTRADIOL PREVENTS KAINIC ACID-INDUCED NEURONAL LOSS IN THE RAT DENTATE GYRUS

THE neuroprotective role of 17 beta-estradiol in the hippocampal denta te gyrus of adult rats treated with kainic acid has been investigated. The systemic injection of a single low dose (7 mg/kg) of kainic acid to ovariectomized rats produced a marked loss of Nissl-stained and som atostatin-immunoreactive hilar neurons. A single simultaneous systemic dose of estradiol (150 mu g per animal) prevented the kainic acid-ind uced decrease in Nissl-stained and somatostatinergic hilar neurons. Th ese results indicate that estradiol may protect adult hilar neurons in vivo from neurotoxic-induced cell death. NeuroReport 9: 3075-3079 (C) 1998 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.