Dehydroepiandrosterone and cortisol concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of dogs

Concentrations of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate were measured by performing radioimmunoassay of the cerebrospinal fluid of 68 dogs diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy or inflammatory, degenerative, or non-neurological disease. No steroid concentration differences were found among diagnoses. Dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate concentrations were higher in males than in females and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate decreased with increasing age. No sex or age effects were observed on cortisol or hormone ratios. Although limited to a relatively small sample, our results show sex- and age-dependent variations in these neurosteroid concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid. The role of such variations in the pathophysiology of the dog brain warrants further investigation.

[1]  G. Gabai,et al.  Effect of age and sex on plasma cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations in the dog (Canis familiaris). , 2014, Research in veterinary science.

[2]  W. Löscher,et al.  Epilepsy after head injury in dogs: A natural model of posttraumatic epilepsy , 2013, Epilepsia.

[3]  V. M. Lima,et al.  Pro-inflammatory cytokines predominate in the brains of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis: a natural model of neuroinflammation during systemic parasitic infection. , 2013, Veterinary parasitology.

[4]  J. Coates,et al.  Canine degenerative myelopathy. , 2010, The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice.

[5]  O. Wolkowitz,et al.  Neurobiological and neuropsychiatric effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) , 2009, Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology.

[6]  E. Trevisi,et al.  Dehydroepiandrosterone secretion in dairy cattle is episodic and unaffected by ACTH stimulation. , 2007, The Journal of endocrinology.

[7]  F. Copello,et al.  Seizure Frequency and Cortisol and Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEAS) Levels in Women with Epilepsy Receiving Antiepileptic Drug Treatment , 2005, Epilepsia.

[8]  N. Milgram,et al.  The canine model of human cognitive aging and dementia: Pharmacological validity of the model for assessment of human cognitive-enhancing drugs , 2005, Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry.

[9]  E. Ferrari,et al.  Age-related changes of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: pathophysiological correlates. , 2001, European journal of endocrinology.

[10]  E. Barrett-Connor,et al.  Sexual dimorphism in the influence of advanced aging on adrenal hormone levels: the Rancho Bernardo Study. , 2000, The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism.

[11]  O. Wolf,et al.  Actions of dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate in the central nervous system: effects on cognition and emotion in animals and humans , 1999, Brain Research Reviews.

[12]  I. Goodyer,et al.  Cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and DHEA sulfate in the cerebrospinal fluid of man: relation to blood levels and the effects of age. , 1996, The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism.

[13]  D. Lawler,et al.  Effects of age, sex, and body size on serum concentrations of thyroid and adrenocortical hormones in dogs. , 1990, American journal of veterinary research.

[14]  E. Baulieu.  STEROID HORMONES IN THE BRAIN: SEVERAL MECHANISMS? , 1981 .

[15]  K. Fuxe,et al.  Steroid hormone regulation of the brain : proceedings of an international symposium held at the Wenner-Gren Center, Stockholm 27-28 October , 1981 .

[16]  G. Hodgen,et al.  Adrenarche: a survey of rodents, domestic animals, and primates. , 1978, Endocrinology.