The Effect of the Anabolic Steroid, 17α-Methyltestosterone,on Inhibitory Avoidance Learning and Generalized Anxiety in Periadolescent Rats

Abstract

The cognitive effects due to exposure to the anabolic steroid, 17α-methyltestosterone (17-meT) during adolescence, remain undetermined. An inhibitory avoidance learning task (IAT) was used to assess the effect of 17α-meT; (7.5 mg/kg) on inhibitory avoidance learning (IAL), while the elevated plus maze (EPM) was used to measure generalized anxiety. Male periadolescent rats were divided into either an acute or chronic treatment. Both acute and chronic AAS exposure produced significant impairment of inhibitory avoidance learning (IAL) in males. Female periadolescent rats showed no significant IAL alteration after acute exposure. Generalized anxiety, locomotion, and risk assessment behaviors (RABs) were not affected after AAS treatment in either males or females. Our data suggest that early AAS exposure exerts sex-specific negative cognitive effects without affecting anxiety or locomotion.