Effect of continuous intraventricular estrogen or catechol estrogen treatment on catecholamine turnover in various brain regions.

The effect of 7-day i.v.t. administration of catechol estrogens (CE) or estrogens (5 micrograms/day) on the catecholamine turnover rate of various brain areas was examined in ovariectomized rats. Norepinephrine turnover was increased significantly in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex by estradiol treatment but not by any CEs tested when compared to control values. However, the turnover rate of dopamine in the cerebral cortex was increased compared to control values only by the 2-hydroxyestrogens (2-hydroxyestradiol and 2-hydroxyestrone) and estradiol was without effect. Only estrogens and CEs with physiologically significant estrogen receptor binding affinities (17 beta-estradiol, moxestrol, 2-hydroxyestradiol and 4-hydroxyestradiol) decreased the turnover rate of dopamine in the corpus striatum compared to control values. Estrogens (17 alpha-estradiol and 2-hydroxyestrone) which are weak ligands for the estrogen receptor did not affect striatal dopamine turnover. In addition, body weight gain measured during estrogen treatment was reduced by CEs and estrogens which have significant estrogen receptor affinities. These results suggest that the CEs may play a role in central modulation of catecholaminergic function by estrogens either through direct actions of the catechol moiety or activation of estrogen receptors.