Physiology & behavior
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Physiology & behavior · Sep 2012
Estrogen blocks the protective action of melatonin in a behavioral model of ethanol-induced hangover in mice.
Melatonin has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties in human beings and experimental models, as well as 'anti-estrogenic' effects. Ethanol (EtOH) affects various behavioral parameters during a period known as ethanol-induced hangover. Our study evaluated the neuroprotective effect of melatonin on motor performance during ethanol hangover in male and female Swiss mice. ⋯ In females, melatonin treatment before ethanol-induced hangover led to a better motor performance in OVX compared with intact females (p<0.01) and a lower performance in OVX-E(2) compared with not-estrogenized OVX (p<0.05). Consequently, estrogen reversed the motor performance enhancement afforded by melatonin. We conclude that estrogen interferes with the protective action of melatonin on motor performance during ethanol hangover.