Article (Scientific journals)
Oestrogen-deficient female aromatase knockout (ArKO) mice exhibit 'depressive-like' symptomatology
Dalla, C.; Antoniou, K.; Papadopoulou-Daifoti, Z. et al.
2004In European Journal of Neuroscience, 20 (1), p. 217-228
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Keywords :
catecholamines; hippocampus; hypothalamus; serotonin; striatum
Abstract :
[en] We recently found that female aromatase knockout (ArKO) mice that are deficient in oestradiol due to a targeted mutation in the aromatase gene show deficits in sexual behaviour that cannot be corrected by adult treatment with oestrogens. We determined here whether these impairments are associated with changes in general levels of activity, anxiety or 'depressive-like' symptomatology due to chronic oestrogen deficiency. We also compared the neurochemical profile of ArKO and wild-type (WT) females, as oestrogens have been shown to modulate dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic brain activities. ArKO females did not differ from WT in spontaneous motor activity, exploration or anxiety. These findings are in line with the absence of major neurochemical alterations in hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex or striatum, which are involved in the expression of these behaviours. By contrast, ArKO females displayed decreased active behaviours, such as struggling and swimming, and increased passive behaviours, such as floating, in repeated sessions of the forced swim test, indicating that these females exhibit 'depressive-like' symptoms. Adult treatment with oestradiol did not reverse the behavioural deficits observed in the forced swim test, suggesting that they may be due to the absence of oestradiol during development. Accordingly, an increased serotonergic activity was observed in the hippocampus of ArKO females compared with WT, which was also not reversed by adult oestradiol treatment. The possible organizational role of oestradiol on the hippocampal serotonergic system and the 'depressive-like' profile of ArKO females provide new insights into the pathophysiology of depression and the increased vulnerability of women to depression.
Disciplines :
Neurosciences & behavior
Author, co-author :
Dalla, C.
Antoniou, K.
Papadopoulou-Daifoti, Z.
Balthazart, Jacques  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Biologie de la différenciation sexuelle du cerveau
Bakker, Julie  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Biologie de la différenciation sexuelle du cerveau
Language :
English
Title :
Oestrogen-deficient female aromatase knockout (ArKO) mice exhibit 'depressive-like' symptomatology
Publication date :
July 2004
Journal title :
European Journal of Neuroscience
ISSN :
0953-816X
eISSN :
1460-9568
Publisher :
Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford, United Kingdom
Volume :
20
Issue :
1
Pages :
217-228
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 20 April 2009

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