Estrous Cycle Variations in Cholecystokinin and Substance P Concentrations in Discrete Areas of the Rat Brain

Frankfurt, Maya; Siegel, Richard A.; Sim, Ida; Wuttke, W.

doi:10.1159/000124444

Cited by 58 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…It is well documented that SP and/or related tachykinins are sexually dimorphic (Frankfurt et al, 1985;McKay, 1987, 1989), show estrous cycle variations (Frankfurt et al, 1986), and undergo changes in staining following hormonal treatment (Blaustein et al, 1991;Swann and Newman, 1992;Akesson, 1994). Brain areas that show SPl-ir include the anterior pituitary, ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, medial nucleus of the amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the medial preoptic area, all of which mediate steroidal induction of reproductive Increased SPLir input to the PPn-VT is correlated with androgen-induced chirping behavior in females.…”

Section: Androgen-induced Changes In Spi-irmentioning

confidence: 99%

Androgen-induced changes in electrocommunicatory behavior are correlated with changes in substance P-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus

1995

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The hormonal regulation of sex differences in electrocommunicatory behavior and brain substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPI-ir) were examined in the weakly electric fish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus. This animal modulates its electric organ discharge (EOD) to produce discrete electric social signals (chirps), which function in aggressive and reproductive displays. Males readily chirp in response to electrosensory stimuli that mimic the presence of a conspecific; females also chirp in response to such stimuli, but do so at much lower rates than males. We have recently demonstrated that androgen treatment enhances chirping behavior in females and may also lead to a change in chirp quality or structure. In this study, we quantified androgen- induced changes in chirp structure and simultaneously examined whether androgens alter the sexually dimorphic pattern of SPI-ir in a brain region (prepacemaker nucleus, PPn) known to control chirping. Our results demonstrate that, in females, androgens cause both the induction of chirping and an alteration of chirp structure; chirps recorded from androgen-implanted females had longer durations and more dramatic frequency and amplitude modulations compared to controls, and appear similar to those reported to be produced during spawning. Moreover, androgen-induced changes in chirping are correlated with increased expression of SPI-ir within specific brain nuclei of females. These changes may underly behavioral changes in chirping, since treated females showed a male-like pattern of SPI-ir in the PPn. However, alterations in SPI-ir were not restricted to the PPn, but also occurred in diencephalic regions related to pituitary function and reproductive behavior. The results suggest that androgens modulate chirping activity and cause both specific and wide-spread changes in SPI-ir that may relate to a functional system that interrelates pituitary function, reproductive behavior, and chirping.

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Section: Androgen-induced Changes In Spi-irmentioning

confidence: 99%

Androgen-induced changes in electrocommunicatory behavior are correlated with changes in substance P-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus

1995

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“…The neuroactive peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) has also been implicated in the control of reproductive behavior (21)(22)(23), and CCK levels in specific parts of the forebrain are sensitive to alterations in levels of circulating gonadal steroids (24,25). In addition, a sexual dimorphism in the number of CCK-immunoreactive cells within the medial preoptic nucleus has recently been found (26 Neurobiology: Simerly and Swanson was completely blocked when immunohistofluorescence staining was attempted with serum that had been preincubated with an excess (0.5 mg/ml) of synthetic CCK and then diluted to the working dilution.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Castration reversibly alters levels of cholecystokinin immunoreactivity within cells of three interconnected sexually dimorphic forebrain nuclei in the rat.

Simerly¹,

Swanson²

1987

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Three sexually dimorphic cell groups in the forebrain of the rat-the central part of the medial preoptic nucleus, the encapsulated part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the posterodorsal part of the medial nucleus of the amygdala-are larger in males, contain a high density of gonadal-steroid-concentrating cells, and are thought to play important roles in the control of reproductive behavior and physiology. Since each of these regions contains a large number of cholecystokinin-immunoreactive cells, we used an indirect immunohistochemical method to examine the possibility that levels of this peptide are modulated by circulating gonadal steroids in adult male rats. Rats were castrated at 60 days of age, and one group each was pretreated with colchicine and then killed 3, 7, and 14 days after gonadectomy. Castration clearly decreased CCK immunoreactivity within cells of each region, with the most dramatic effects occurring 7 and 14 days after gonadectomy, and these effects were reversed by treatment with testosterone over a 14-day period. The results suggest that CCK levels within individual cells in each of the interconnected sexually dimorphic nuclei examined here are regulated by circulating gonadal steroids and may be related to the hormonal modulation of reproductive functions thought to be mediated by these cell groups.An important role for gonadal steroid hormones in the control of reproductive behavior is well-established, although mechanisms underlying their influence on neural circuits mediating such functions remain unclear. Gonadal steroids have been shown to markedly affect biochemical indices of neurotransmitter function (see ref. 1 for review), and steroid-induced changes in the levels of putative neurotransmitters within individual neurons have been demonstrated immunohistochemically. For example, 15 weeks after gonadectomy, the density of vasopressin-immunoreactive fibers in the lateral septum is markedly reduced in the adult male rat, and vasopressin-stained cell bodies are no longer demonstrable in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial nucleus of the amygdala (2). Similarly, the density of substance Pimmunoreactive fibers decreases within 14 days after gonadectomy (3). In contrast, the distribution of serotoninimmunoreactive fibers in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) and the density of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (presumably dopaminergic) cells in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus do not appear to be sensitive to the influences of circulating gonadal steroids in the adult but can be dramatically altered by manipulation of the perinatal steroid environment (4, 5).The sexual differentiation of neural structures in the mammalian brain has been documented for a number of cytological features of individual neurons, the synaptology of specific brain regions, and the volume and cytoarchitecture of several nuclei (see refs. 6 and 7 for reviews). Three such nuclei, the medial preoptic nucleus (especially its central subdivision, MPNc; ref. 8), the encaps...

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“…Thus, in an early report by Frankfurt and co-workers (Frankfurt et al, 1986), CCK-LI concentration was found to be reduced during pro-estrous in the amygdala when levels of estrogen are high. A trend towards a decrease in CCK-LI was also observed in the hippocampus in the same study, but did not reach significance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…CCK fluctuates during the estrous cycle in several brain regions (Frankfurt et al , 1986, Hilke et al , 2007 and the concentration of CCK-like immunoreactivity (LI) was found to be lowest during the pro-estrous phase, when the concentration of estrogen in plasma was at its highest level. Limited studies have shown that both CCK and its receptors are sensitive to estrogen (Micevych et al , 1996, Micevych et al , 1997.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute effects on brain cholecystokinin-like concentration and anxiety-like behaviour in the female rat upon a single injection of 17β-estradiol

Holm

Liang

Thorsell

et al. 2014

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

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Acute effects on brain cholecystokinin-like concentration and anxiety-like behaviour in the female rat upon a single injection of 17β-estradiol, 2014, Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, (122) Anxiety and panic-disorders are twice as common in females compared to males, but studies of females are rare, although increasing in number. Limited studies have found that CCK fluctuates in limbic regions during the estrous cycle, and that CCK and its receptors are sensitive to estrogen. Aim/Purpose: The aim of the present work was to study acute effects of 17β-estradiol on anxiety-like behaviour and effects on CCK-like immunoreactivity (LI) in the female rat brain (amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, and cingulate cortex).Methods: Four groups of female Sprague-Dawley rats were used: ovariectomized, ovariectomized+17β-estradiol -replacement, sham, and sham+17β-estradiol -replacement. The effect of 17β-estradiol -replacement on anxiety-related behaviour was measured in all animals on the elevated plus maze 2 -24hr after injection. CCK-LI concentration was measured in punch biopsies by means of radioimmunoassay. Results Conclusion:Although the interpretation of these data requires caution since the data were collected from two different experiments, our results suggest that estrogen-induced anxiolytic effects may be associated with changes of the CCK-system in brain regions controlling anxiety-like behaviour.1

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Estrous Cycle Variations in Cholecystokinin and Substance P Concentrations in Discrete Areas of the Rat Brain

Cited by 58 publications

References 15 publications

Androgen-induced changes in electrocommunicatory behavior are correlated with changes in substance P-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus

Androgen-induced changes in electrocommunicatory behavior are correlated with changes in substance P-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus

Castration reversibly alters levels of cholecystokinin immunoreactivity within cells of three interconnected sexually dimorphic forebrain nuclei in the rat.

Acute effects on brain cholecystokinin-like concentration and anxiety-like behaviour in the female rat upon a single injection of 17β-estradiol

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