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Androgen decreases dopamine neurone survival in rat midbrain.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Johnson, ML; Day, AE; Ho, CC; Walker, QD; Francis, R; Kuhn, CM
Published in: J Neuroendocrinol
April 2010

Clinical studies show that men are more likely to develop disorders affecting midbrain dopaminergic pathways, such as drug addiction and Parkinson's disease (PD). Although a great deal of focus has been given to the role of oestrogen in the maintenance of midbrain dopaminergic pathways, little is known about how testosterone influences these pathways. In the present study, we used stereological analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-IR) cell bodies to determine how testosterone influences the dopaminergic cell bodies of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Rats and mice were castrated at postnatal day (PN) 60, and these midbrain cell populations were counted on PN 90. One month after castration, TH-IR cell number had increased in the SNpc and VTA of rats and mice. Replacement with testosterone or the non-aromatisable analogue dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in castrated animals reduced TH-IR cell number in the SNpc and VTA in rats. In mice, the decrease of TH-IR cell number with testosterone or DHT replacement was observed only in the SNpc. The apparent increase in TH-IR neurone number after castration is not explained by an increase in TH expression because the number of nondopaminergic cells (TH-immunonegative, TH-IN) did not decrease proportionally after castration. TH-IN cell number did not change after castration or hormone replacement in rat or mouse SNpc or VTA. These findings suggest that testosterone may play a suppressive role in midbrain dopaminergic pathways.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Neuroendocrinol

DOI

EISSN

1365-2826

Publication Date

April 2010

Volume

22

Issue

4

Start / End Page

238 / 247

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Ventral Tegmental Area
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • Testosterone
  • Substantia Nigra
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Rats
  • Orchiectomy
  • Neurons
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Johnson, M. L., Day, A. E., Ho, C. C., Walker, Q. D., Francis, R., & Kuhn, C. M. (2010). Androgen decreases dopamine neurone survival in rat midbrain. J Neuroendocrinol, 22(4), 238–247. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2826.2010.01965.x
Johnson, M. L., A. E. Day, C. C. Ho, Q. D. Walker, R. Francis, and C. M. Kuhn. “Androgen decreases dopamine neurone survival in rat midbrain.J Neuroendocrinol 22, no. 4 (April 2010): 238–47. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2826.2010.01965.x.
Johnson ML, Day AE, Ho CC, Walker QD, Francis R, Kuhn CM. Androgen decreases dopamine neurone survival in rat midbrain. J Neuroendocrinol. 2010 Apr;22(4):238–47.
Johnson, M. L., et al. “Androgen decreases dopamine neurone survival in rat midbrain.J Neuroendocrinol, vol. 22, no. 4, Apr. 2010, pp. 238–47. Pubmed, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2826.2010.01965.x.
Johnson ML, Day AE, Ho CC, Walker QD, Francis R, Kuhn CM. Androgen decreases dopamine neurone survival in rat midbrain. J Neuroendocrinol. 2010 Apr;22(4):238–247.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Neuroendocrinol

DOI

EISSN

1365-2826

Publication Date

April 2010

Volume

22

Issue

4

Start / End Page

238 / 247

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Ventral Tegmental Area
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • Testosterone
  • Substantia Nigra
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Rats
  • Orchiectomy
  • Neurons
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice