The hamster hippocampal slice: II. Neuroendocrine modulation.
The effects of exposing hamster hippocampal slices to the gonadal steroids estradiol and testosterone and to delta-9-tetra-hydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC) are described. At 10(-10)M estradiol and testosterone act as facilitatory neuromodulators on hippocampal slices obtained from male and diestrous female hamsters, respectively. At 10(-11)M, THC acts to facilitate responses in hippocampal slices from male animals. All three drugs displayed a rapid onset (less than 10 min), and responses were significantly greater than those of vehicle controls. These results will permit the use of the hamster in investigations of the biobehavioral role of steroid modulation of brain excitability.