Evidence suggesting that gonadal hormones influence benzodiazepine withdrawal-induced weight loss in rats
1. 1. In experimental animals, benzodiazepine (BZ) withdrawal syndrome includes anorexia and acute weight loss. The literature shows several sex-based differences in the expression of BZ dependence; however, the authors did not find studies dealing with the influence of gonadal hormones on BZ withdr...
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Published in | Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 425 - 433 |
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Main Authors | , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Amsterdam
Elsevier Inc
01.02.1998
Elsevier |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | 1.
1. In experimental animals, benzodiazepine (BZ) withdrawal syndrome includes anorexia and acute weight loss. The literature shows several sex-based differences in the expression of BZ dependence; however, the authors did not find studies dealing with the influence of gonadal hormones on BZ withdrawal-induced weight loss. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the effects of castration on diazepam (DZ) withdrawal-induced weight loss in rats.
2.
2 Male (260–330 g) or female (220–260 g) Wistar rats were anesthetized with ether and submitted to surgical castration or sham-operation. Seven days later, recovered from the surgery, the animals were injected i.p. with DZ (4 mg kg
−1day
−1) or appropriate vehicle (VEH; 2 ml kg
−1kg
−1day
−1) for 28 days. In the next 7 days, the rats received the same doses of DZ (four groups) or VEH (eight groups). Weights of all animals were recorded daily to the nearest gram at 09:00 h. To assess the degree of weight loss and make statistical comparisons, weights over days 29–34 were expressed as percentage of those recorded in the morning of day 28.
3.
3. Sham-operated female rats from the group DZ-VEH showed a small but statistically significant weight loss on days 29 and 30 (
P < 0.05) when compared with groups VEH-VEH and DZ-DZ. Ovariectomized rats, however, did not show any significant change in body weight from days 29–34.
4.
4. Sham-operated male rats did not exhibit any significant weight loss after DZ withdrawal. Orchidectomized animals, however, showed a small but statistically significant weight loss on day 31 (
P < 0.05) when compared with groups VEH-VEH and DZ-DZ.
5.
5. These results show a gonadal influence on DZ withdrawal-induced weight loss in Wistar rats; in particular, they also suggest that female hormones (progesterone and/or estrogen) facilitate whilst male hormones inhibit this phenomenon. |
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ISSN: | 0278-5846 1878-4216 |
DOI: | 10.1016/S0278-5846(98)00014-1 |