Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/19910

Title

Estrogen prevents 5-HT1A receptor-induced disruptions of prepulse inhibition in healthy women

Author(s)

Gogos, Andrea;  Nathan, Pradeep J.;  Guille, Valerie;  Croft, Rodney J.;  Van Den Buuse, Maarten

Abstract

The sex steroid hormone, estrogen, has been proposed to be protective against schizophrenia. This study examined the effects of estrogen treatment on modulation of prepulse inhibition (PPI) by the serotonin-1A (5-HT1A) receptor partial agonist, buspirone. PPI is a model of sensorimotor gating, which is deficient in schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. A total of I I healthy women were tested following four acute treatment conditions: placebo, buspirone (Buspan 5 mg), estradiol (Estrofem; 2mg), and combined buspirone and estradiol. Electromyogram activity was measured across three interstimulus intervals (ISI): 30, 60, and 120 ms. There was no significant effect of either drug treatment on startle amplitude or habituation. At 120 ms ISI, buspirone caused a significant disruption of PPI and pretreatment with estrogen prevented this disruption. Estrogen treatment, administered in the appropriate experimental conditions, prevented PPI deficits induced by S-HT1A receptor activation and may therefore also play a protective role in sensorimotor gating deficits in schizophrenia.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. Brain Sciences Institute

Source

Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol. 31, no. 4 (2006), p. 885-889

Publication year

2006

Keyword(s)

Buspirone;  EMG;  Estradiol;  Human;  Schizophrenia;  Serotonin

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

ISSN

0893-133X

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.npp.1300933

Copyright

Copyright © 2006 Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Peer reviewed