Androgen Affects the Inhibitory Avoidance Memory by Primarily Acting on Androgen Receptor in the Brain in Adolescent Male Rats

The study investigated the effects of androgens on inhibitory avoidance memory in adolescent male rats, focusing on the role of androgen receptors (AR) in the brain. It was found that orchiectomized rats, which had reduced androgen levels, showed decreased inhibitory avoidance memory and lower AR-immunoreactivity in the amygdala and hippocampus compared to sham-operated rats. Treatment with testosterone or dihydrotestosterone restored these effects, indicating that androgens enhance inhibitory avoidance memory by interacting with AR in these brain regions. The use of flutamide, an AR-antagonist, in intact rats produced similar results to orchiectomy, further supporting the role of AR in this process.