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Effects of progesterone or neuroactive steroid?

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Abstract

Smith et al. reply — Morrowet al.are incorrect to state that we did not provide direct evidence that 3α-OH-5α-pregnan-20-one (3α,5α-THP, or allopregnanolone) levels were reduced by indomethacin. We pointed out1 that our previous studies7 showed that indomethacin administration concomitant with progesterone reduced the level of 3α,5α-THP in the central nervous system from 8.2 6 1.3 ng per g to 2.3 0.35 ng per g without altering levels of 5α-DHP or progesterone. This treatment, which prevented the withdrawal of 3α,5α-THP that normally accompanies progesterone withdrawal, completely prevented the withdrawal effects of progesterone we observed1, including acceleration in the decay of GABA-gated current and upregulation of the GABAA-receptor α4 subunit.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Allegheny University of the Health Sciences, EPPI, 3200 Henry Avenue, Philadelphia, 19129, Pennsylvania, USA

    Sheryl S. Smith, Qi Hua Gong, Fu-Chun Hsu, Ronald S. Markowitz & Xinshe Li

  2. RIN Bioscience, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Wilmington, 19850-5437, Delaware, USA

    J. M. H. ffrench-Mullen

Authors
  1. Sheryl S. Smith
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  2. Qi Hua Gong
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  3. Fu-Chun Hsu
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  4. Ronald S. Markowitz
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  5. J. M. H. ffrench-Mullen
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  6. Xinshe Li
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Smith, S., Gong, Q., Hsu, FC. et al. Effects of progesterone or neuroactive steroid?. Nature 395, 652–653 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/27109

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