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Corticosterone -- an anxiogenic or an anxiolytic agent?
The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
|May 1, 1979
Summary
Corticosterone did not increase anxiety in rats. Instead, low doses of corticosterone (CORT) reduced anxiety, and adrenalectomized rats showed improved social interaction with CORT replacement therapy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroendocrinology
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Background:
- Corticosterone (CORT) is a key stress hormone.
- The role of CORT in anxiety remains debated, with some studies suggesting anxiogenic effects and others anxiolytic effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the anxiogenic and anxiolytic effects of corticosterone in a rat model.
- To examine the role of endogenous corticosterone in social anxiety.
Main Methods:
- Rats received varying doses of intraperitoneal corticosterone (3-12 mg/kg).
- Anxiety was assessed using the social interaction test.
- Adrenalectomy and subsequent corticosterone replacement therapy were performed.
Main Results:
- Corticosterone administration (3-12 mg/kg) did not produce significant anxiogenic effects.
- A lower dose of corticosterone (3 mg/kg) demonstrated a significant anxiolytic effect in the social interaction test.
- Adrenalectomized rats exhibited reduced social interaction, which was normalized by corticosterone replacement therapy.
Conclusions:
- Corticosterone may exert anxiolytic rather than anxiogenic effects, contrary to some previous findings regarding ACTH.
- Endogenous corticosterone plays a crucial role in maintaining normal social interaction and anxiety levels.