Blockade of androgen receptors is sufficient to alter the sexual differentiation of the substantia nigra pars reticulata seizure-controlling network

Epileptic Disord. 2008 Mar;10(1):8-12. doi: 10.1684/epd.2008.0160.

Abstract

The substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR) controls seizures in a sex-specific manner. At postnatal day 15 (P15), SNR infusion of GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol have proconvulsant effects in males but not in females. In males, administration of an androgen receptor antagonist flutamide between P0-P2 led to the disappearance of the proconvulsant muscimol effects at P15. Thus, activation of androgen receptors is important for the presence of proconvulsant SNR muscimol responses.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Androgen Receptor Antagonists*
  • Animals
  • Convulsants / pharmacology
  • Female
  • GABA Agonists / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Muscimol / pharmacology
  • Nerve Net / drug effects*
  • Nerve Net / physiopathology*
  • Pregnancy
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Seizures / chemically induced
  • Seizures / physiopathology*
  • Sex Differentiation
  • Substantia Nigra / drug effects*
  • Substantia Nigra / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Androgen Receptor Antagonists
  • Convulsants
  • GABA Agonists
  • Muscimol