Estrogen is neuroprotective within the nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) system; it preserves striatal DA after exposure to neurotoxins (Dluzen, 2000). Estrogen loss and replacement affect astrocytic FGF-2-IR in the VTA and DA cortical projection areas after ovariectomy (OVX) (Flores et al. 1999). In males astrocytic FGF-2-IR is increased in DA cell body regions after 6-OHDA lesions, a possible neuroprotective response to injury (Moroz & Stewart, SFN Abst 2000). We studied FGF-2-IR after 6-OHDA lesions in OVX adult females treated with either estradiol benzoate (EB) or OIL for 4 weeks before 6-OHDA lesions and killed after 3, 7, 14 d and 5 weeks. As in males, FGF-IR was increased in the ipsilateral SNc. The FGF-2 response in the VTA after lesion was smaller in females than in males and was significantly elevated only in OVX females treated with OIL. Lesions decreased TH-IR in ipsilateral SNc and VTA, but again to a lesser degree in females than was previously seen in males. We next examined whether 6-OHDA induce...