Influence of anabolic steroid on anxiety levels in sedentary male rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of nandrolone decanoate on anxiety levels in rats. Male Wistar rats were treated with nandrolone decanoate (5mg/kg, two times per week, i.m.) or vehicle (propylene glycol-0.2 ml/kg, two times per week, IM) for 6 weeks. Control rats were subject only to procedures related to their routine husbandry. By the end of 6 weeks, all groups (24-29 rats/group) were submitted to the elevated plus maze test in order to evaluate their anxiety level. Some of these animals (12- 14/group) were treated with diazepam (1 mg/kg i.p.) 30 min before the elevated plus maze test. Nandrolone decanoate significantly decreased the percentage of time spent in the open arms (1.46 +/- 0.49%) compared with control (3.80 +/- 0.97%) and vehicle (3.96 +/- 0.85%) groups, with no difference between control and vehicle treatments. The percentage of open arm entries was also reduced in the group treated with nandrolone decanoate in comparison with the vehicle and control. No changes in the number of closed arm entries were detected. Diazepam abolished the effects of nandrolone decanoate on the percentage of time in, and entries into the open arms. The present study showed that chronic treatment with a high dose of nandrolone decanoate increased the anxiety level in male rats.