Department of Experimental Medicine, University
of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
SOURCE:
Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1996 May;54(1):205-10
NLM CIT. ID:
96292584
ABSTRACT:
Acute foot shock stress elicits a selective and
time-dependent increase of neuroactive steroid (pregnenolone, progesterone,
allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone) concentrations in rat brain cortex, accompanied by a
marked increase of plasma corticosterone. The brain cortical neuroactive steroid levels
peaked between 10 and 30 min poststress and returned to control values by 2 h. Abecarnil
(0.3 mg/kg), i.p.), a beta-carboline derivative with anxiolytic properties, completely
antagonized the effect of foot shock on brain cortical neuroactive steroids. A single
administration of the anxiogenic beta-carboline FG 7142 (15 mg/kg, i.p.), in contrast,
mimicked the effect of foot shock. These data support the hypothesis for the existence of
a functional relationship between brain neuroactive steroid concentrations and GABAA
receptor function/emotional state of the animal.
When my office
lease expired at the end of 2004, I decided to turn it into a
"sabbatical" from my private practice. Many years ago, in my
grandfather's 89th year of life, he told me, "John, it is important
to smell the roses while you can still smell them." His life
gave living a very good reputation. It is also true that the
pursuit of that philosophy required my grandfather to to re-open his
assay office/ore market in Wickenburg, Arizona as a 75-year-old because
he had run a little short of retirement money. Thus, if blessed with his
luck and health, I'll be back.. --jjh
