Anesthetized recordings
Spontaneously active medial septum/diagonal band of Broca neurons (MS/DB) are inhibited by intraperitoneal injections of ethanol (Givens & Breese, JPET, 1990; See figure 1 below). However, the exact mechanism by which ethanol-induced MS/DB neural inhibition occurs is unknown. Recently, it was demonstrated that blockade of de novo biosynthesis of the neuroactive steroid 3[a]-hydroxy-5[a]-pregnan-20-one by finasteride prevents ethanol-induced inhibition of spontaneously active MS/DB neurons (VanDoren et al., Jneurosci, 2000; See figure 2 below). Currently we are working to extend these findings to other brain regions.
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