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Neural mechanisms of female sexual behavior in the rat; comparison with male ejaculatory control. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2014; 121:16-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2013] [Revised: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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2
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Piekarski DJ, Zhao S, Jennings KJ, Iwasa T, Legan SJ, Mikkelsen JD, Tsutsui K, Kriegsfeld LJ. Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone reduces sexual motivation but not lordosis behavior in female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Horm Behav 2013; 64:501-10. [PMID: 23827890 PMCID: PMC3955721 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Revised: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/22/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive success is maximized when female sexual motivation and behavior coincide with the time of optimal fertility. Both processes depend upon coordinated hormonal events, beginning with signaling by the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal system. Two neuropeptidergic systems that lie upstream of GnRH, gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH; also known as RFamide related peptide-3) and kisspeptin, are potent inhibitory and excitatory modulators of GnRH, respectively, that participate in the timing of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge and ovulation. Whether these neuropeptides serve as neuromodulators to coordinate female sexual behavior with the limited window of fertility has not been thoroughly explored. In the present study, either intact or ovariectomized, hormone-treated female hamsters were implanted for fifteen days with chronic release osmotic pumps filled with GnIH or saline. The effect of GnIH on sexual motivation, vaginal scent marking, and lordosis was examined. Following mating, FOS activation was quantified in brain regions implicated in the regulation of female sexual behavior. Intracerebroventricular administration of GnIH reduced sexual motivation and vaginal scent marking, but not lordosis behavior. GnIH administration altered FOS expression in key neural loci implicated in female reproductive behavior, including the medial preoptic area, medial amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, independent of changes in circulating gonadal steroids and kisspeptin cell activation. Together, these data point to GnIH as an important modulator of female proceptive sexual behavior and motivation, independent of downstream alterations in sex steroid production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sheng Zhao
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Takeshi Iwasa
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sandra J. Legan
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY USA
| | - Jens D. Mikkelsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - Kazuyoshi Tsutsui
- Laboratory of Integrative Brain Sciences, Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Lance J. Kriegsfeld
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Please Address Correspondence to: Lance J. Kriegsfeld, PhD, Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, 3210 Tolman Hall, #1650, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-1650, Phone: (510) 642-5148, Fax: (510) 642-5293,
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3
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Petrulis A. Chemosignals, hormones and mammalian reproduction. Horm Behav 2013; 63:723-41. [PMID: 23545474 PMCID: PMC3667964 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2013] [Revised: 03/18/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Many mammalian species use chemosignals to coordinate reproduction by altering the physiology and behavior of both sexes. Chemosignals prime reproductive physiology so that individuals become sexually mature and active at times when mating is most probable and suppress it when it is not. Once in reproductive condition, odors produced and deposited by both males and females are used to find and select individuals for mating. The production, dissemination and appropriate responses to these cues are modulated heavily by organizational and activational effects of gonadal sex steroids and thereby intrinsically link chemical communication to the broader reproductive context. Many compounds have been identified as "pheromones" but very few have met the expectations of that term: a unitary, species-typical substance that is both necessary and sufficient for an experience-independent behavioral or physiological response. In contrast, most responses to chemosignals are dependent or heavily modulated by experience, either in adulthood or during development. Mechanistically, chemosignals are perceived by both main and accessory (vomeronasal) olfactory systems with the importance of each system tied strongly to the nature of the stimulus rather than to the response. In the central nervous system, the vast majority of responses to chemosignals are mediated by cortical and medial amygdala connections with hypothalamic and other forebrain structures. Despite the importance of chemosignals in mammals, many details of chemical communication differ even among closely related species and defy clear categorization. Although generating much research and public interest, strong evidence for the existence of a robust chemical communication among humans is lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aras Petrulis
- Georgia State University, Neuroscience Institute, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
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4
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Baum MJ. Contribution of pheromones processed by the main olfactory system to mate recognition in female mammals. Front Neuroanat 2012; 6:20. [PMID: 22679420 PMCID: PMC3367429 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2012.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Accepted: 05/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Until recently it was widely believed that the ability of female mammals (with the likely exception of women) to identify and seek out a male breeding partner relied on the detection of non-volatile male pheromones by the female's vomeronasal organ (VNO) and their subsequent processing by a neural circuit that includes the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), vomeronasal amygdala, and hypothalamus. Emperical data are reviewed in this paper that demonstrate the detection of volatile pheromones by the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) of female mice which, in turn, leads to the activation of a population of glomeruli and abutting mitral cells in the main olfactory bulb (MOB). Anatomical results along with functional neuroanatomical data demonstrate that some of these MOB mitral cells project to the vomeronasal amygdala. These particular MOB mitral cells were selectively activated (i.e., expressed Fos protein) by exposure to male as opposed to female urinary volatiles. A similar selectivity to opposite sex urinary volatiles was also seen in mitral cells of the AOB of female mice. Behavioral data from female mouse, ferret, and human are reviewed that implicate the main olfactory system, in some cases interacting with the accessory olfactory system, in mate recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Baum
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston MA, USA
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5
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Floody OR, Katin MJ, Harrington LX, Schassburger RL. Cholinergic control of male mating behavior in hamsters: effects of central oxotremorine treatment. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2011; 100:299-310. [PMID: 21925534 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2011] [Revised: 08/08/2011] [Accepted: 08/31/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The responses of rats to intracranial injections of cholinergic drugs implicate acetylcholine in the control of male mating behavior and suggest specific brain areas as mediators of these effects. In particular, past work has linked the medial preoptic area (MPOA) to the control of intromission frequency but implicated areas near the lateral ventricles in effects on the initiation and spacing of intromissions. Studies of responses to systemic cholinergic treatments suggest that acetylcholine is even more important for the control of mating behavior in male hamsters but provide no information on the relevant brain areas. To fill this gap, we observed the effects of central injections of the cholinergic agonist oxotremorine that approached the MPOA along contrasting paths. Both studies suggest that increased cholinergic activity in or near the MPOA can facilitate behavior by reducing the postejaculatory interval and possibly affecting other parts of the mechanisms controlling the initiation of copulation and the efficiency of performance early in an encounter. In addition, oxotremorine caused other changes in behavior that could not be tied to the MPOA and may reflect actions at more dorsal sites, possibly including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial septum. These effects were notably heterogeneous, including facilitatory and disruptive effects on male behavior along with a facilitation of lordosis responses to manual stimulation. These results emphasize the number and diversity of elements of sexual behavior in hamsters that are under the partial control of forebrain cholinergic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen R Floody
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, United States.
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6
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Corona R, Larriva-Sahd J, Paredes RG. Paced-mating increases the number of adult new born cells in the internal cellular (granular) layer of the accessory olfactory bulb. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19380. [PMID: 21637743 PMCID: PMC3103495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2010] [Accepted: 04/01/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The continuous production and addition of new neurons during life in the olfactory bulb is well accepted and has been extensively studied in rodents. This process could allow the animals to adapt to a changing environment. Olfactory neurogenesis begins in the subventricular zone where stem cells proliferate and give rise to young undifferentiated neuroblasts that migrate along the rostral migratory stream to the olfactory bulb (OB). Olfaction is crucial for the expression of sexual behavior in rodents. In female rats, the ability to control the rate of sexual interactions (pacing) has important physiological and behavioral consequences. In the present experiment we evaluated if pacing behavior modifies the rate of new cells that reach the main and accessory olfactory bulb. The BrdU marker was injected before and after different behavioral tests which included: females placed in a mating cage (control), females allowed to pace the sexual interaction, females that mated but were not able to control the rate of the sexual interaction and females exposed to a sexually active male. Subjects were sacrificed fifteen days after the behavioral test. We observed a significant increase in the density of BrdU positive cells in the internal cellular layer of the accessory olfactory bulb when females paced the sexual interaction in comparison to the other 3 groups. No differences in the cell density in the main olfactory bulb were found. These results suggest that pacing behavior promotes an increase in density of the new cells in the accessory olfactory bulb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Corona
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, México
| | - Jorge Larriva-Sahd
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, México
| | - Raúl G. Paredes
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, México
- * E-mail:
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7
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Hernández-González M, Guevara MA, Ågmo A. Motivational Influences on the Degree and Direction of Sexual Attraction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2008; 1129:61-87. [DOI: 10.1196/annals.1417.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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8
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Jakupovic J, Kang N, Baum MJ. Effect of bilateral accessory olfactory bulb lesions on volatile urinary odor discrimination and investigation as well as mating behavior in male mice. Physiol Behav 2007; 93:467-73. [PMID: 17991495 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2007] [Revised: 09/03/2007] [Accepted: 10/05/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Previous research raises the possibility that urinary volatiles from estrous female mice activate mitral cells in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) of male mice following detection via the main olfactory epithelium as opposed to the vomeronasal organ. We asked whether bilateral lesions of the AOB would disrupt the ability of male mice to discriminate between urinary volatiles from mice of different sexes or endocrine states, or affect their interest in investigating these odors when they were presented sequentially in home-cage habituation/dishabituation tests. Males with either partial or complete bilateral lesions of the AOB resembled sham-operated control males in their ability to discriminate between ovariectomized and estrous female urinary volatiles as well as between male and estrous female urinary volatiles. However, males with either complete or partial AOB lesions spent significantly less time than sham-operated control males investigating urinary volatiles from estrous females, especially during tests when the alternative stimulus presented was male urine. Placement of AOB lesions failed to disrupt males' mating performance. Our results suggest that the incentive value of opposite-sex (female) volatile urinary odors which are initially detected by the main olfactory system is enhanced when they are further processed by the male's AOB.
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9
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Zuri I, Halpern M. Modification of Odor Investigation and Discrimination in Female Opossums (Monodelphis domestica) Following the Ablation of the Accessory Olfactory Bulbs. Behav Neurosci 2005; 119:612-21. [PMID: 15839807 DOI: 10.1037/0735-7044.119.2.612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
To determine whether the vomeronasal system of the Brazilian short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica) is important to the response to conspecific chemical signals, the authors tested female opossums with conspecific odors, before and after ablation of their accessory olfactory bulbs (AOBs). Anesthesia and sham treatments did not modify females' discrimination of conspecific odors when tested against water, between male and female odors, or between different odors from the same male donors. Odor investigation was partially diminished following partial ablation of the AOB, and complete ablation of the AOBs further impaired the ability of females to discriminate between certain odors. These findings provide the first evidence for the importance of the vomeronasal system in the detection of chemosignals of known origin in opossums.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ido Zuri
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203-2098, USA
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Gelez H, Archer E, Chesneau D, Magallon T, Fabre-Nys C. Inactivation of the olfactory amygdala prevents the endocrine response to male odour in anoestrus ewes. Eur J Neurosci 2004; 19:1581-90. [PMID: 15066154 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03261.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Our aim was to study the role of the olfactory amygdala (medial and cortical nuclei) and the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN) in the ability of the male odour or live males to induce a release of luteinizing hormone in anoestrus ewes. To achieve this, we temporarily blocked the activity of these structures by localized retrodialysis administration of the anaesthetic lidocaine. The effect of ram odour on the secretion of luteinizing hormone was completely blocked by inactivation of the cortical nucleus of the amygdala. In contrast, inactivation of part of the accessory olfactory system (the medial nucleus of the amygdala or the VMN) had no effect. In the presence of the male, lidocaine never impaired the endocrine response of the ewes. These results show that modulation of reproduction by the sexual partner even through pheromonal cues does not occur via the direct circuit of the accessory system. On the contrary, the cortical nucleus of the amygdala is absolutely necessary for the treatment of and/or the response to the male olfactory signal but this structure can be bypassed when other sensory cues are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Gelez
- Station de Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, UMR 6073, INRA/CNRS/Université de Tours, 37380 Nouzilly, France
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11
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Guerra-Araiza C, Coyoy-Salgado A, Camacho-Arroyo I. Sex differences in the regulation of progesterone receptor isoforms expression in the rat brain. Brain Res Bull 2002; 59:105-9. [PMID: 12379440 DOI: 10.1016/s0361-9230(02)00845-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We studied the effects of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) on progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms gene expression in the brain of ovariectomised female and gonadectomised male rats by RT-PCR analysis. In female rats, the expression of both PR isoforms was induced by E2 and down-regulated by P in the hypothalamus, whereas in the preoptic area these changes were only observed in PR-B isoform. On the contrary, in the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb, PR-A was the isoform induced by E2. In these regions, P did not modify the expression of any PR isoform. In the cerebellum and the frontal cortex of female rats, no treatment modified PR isoforms expression. In contrast with female rats, in the male rat brain, PR isoforms expression was only modified in the cerebellum, where PR-A was induced by E2. These results demonstrate a clear sexual dimorphism in the regulation of PR isoforms expression by sex steroid hormones in the rat brain, suggesting that this sex difference contributes to the sexually dimorphic effects of P in the rat brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Guerra-Araiza
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico DF, Mexico
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12
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Bennett AL, Blasberg ME, Blaustein JD. Mating stimulation required for mating-induced estrous abbreviation in female rats: effects of repeated testing. Horm Behav 2002; 42:206-11. [PMID: 12367573 DOI: 10.1006/hbeh.2002.1809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Mating stimulation, particularly vaginal-cervical stimulation, causes estrous abbreviation in female rats. In most previous studies, female rats were repeatedly tested for sexual behavior until estrous termination occurred. Thus, it was not clear whether sensory stimulation (e.g., flank stimulation, olfactory cues) received during the repeated testing procedure contributed to estrous abbreviation. In Experiment 1, we determined the effect of premating to two or four ejaculations on the rate of estrous termination when a repeated testing procedure was used. We compared ovariectomized, hormone-primed, female rats receiving (1) four ejaculations, (2) two ejaculations, or (3) no premating. Females premated to either two or four ejaculations showed significantly lower levels of sexual receptivity 12 h later than did nonpremated females. These results confirm that premating induces estrous abbreviation when a repeated testing procedure is used. In Experiment 2, we determined whether the repeated testing procedure was necessary for estrous abbreviation. Ovariectomized, hormone-primed female rats were premated to two ejaculations or not premated. The rats were then tested for sexual behavior repeatedly or only once. Females that were premated and repeatedly tested for sexual behavior showed a statistically significant decrease in sexual receptivity compared to females that were not premated; however, the level of sexual receptivity in premated females did not differ from that in non-premated females when they were tested only once. The results suggest that heat duration is the result of a complex interplay between those factors that promote the expression of sexual receptivity and those that inhibit it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Bennett
- Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003, USA
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Bennett AL, Gréco B, Blasberg ME, Blaustein JD. Response to male odours in progestin receptor- and oestrogen receptor-containing cells in female rat brain. J Neuroendocrinol 2002; 14:442-9. [PMID: 12047719 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2826.2002.00806.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sensory cues from male rats, such as odours and vaginal-cervical stimulation (VCS), play a modulatory role in female rat sexual behaviour. For example, exposure to male odours and VCS appears to be at least partially responsible for increases in sexual behaviour following repeated mating of oestradiol-primed female rats. Although there is evidence that VCS influences sexual behaviour via a ligand-independent progestin receptor (PR)-dependent mechanism, the mechanism by which odours influence sexual behaviour is not known. We tested the hypothesis that, similar to VCS, the effects of male odours on sexual behaviour are mediated by progestin receptors. Female rats were injected with the progestin antagonist, RU486, or oil vehicle and were then exposed to male-soiled bedding or clean bedding. Although exposure to male-soiled bedding resulted in higher levels of Fos immunoreactivity in brain areas associated with female sexual behaviour, the progestin antagonist did not reduce this effect. Furthermore, there was minimal coexpression of odour-induced Fos and progestin receptors in brain areas associated with female sexual behaviour. Together, these results suggest that the effects of male odours are not mediated by a PR-dependent mechanism. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that oestrogen receptor (ER)-containing cells are involved in the effects of olfactory cues. Although there was virtually no coexpression of ERbeta and odour-induced Fos in brain areas associated with female sexual behaviour, exposure to male odours slightly increased the number of cells coexpressing ER(alpha) and odour-induced Fos in the posterodorsal medial amygdala. Although, these results do not support the hypothesis that the effects of odours are mediated by a PR-dependent mechanism, they suggest that integration of male odours and hormonal cues may occur in ER(alpha)-containing cells in the posterodorsal medial amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Bennett
- Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003-9271, USA
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14
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Bennett AL, Blasberg ME, Blaustein JD. Sensory cues mediating mating-induced potentiation of sexual receptivity in female rats. Horm Behav 2001; 40:77-83. [PMID: 11467886 DOI: 10.1006/hbeh.2001.1664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Repeated mating of estradiol-primed female rats increases sexual receptivity. Two studies were conducted to determine the contribution of vaginal--cervical stimulation (VCS) to this increase. In the first study, female rats were repeatedly mated for 165 min. The vaginas of half of the females were covered with tape (masked) to prevent intromissions by the males. The remaining females were unmasked. Only females receiving intromissions (unmasked) showed a significant increase in sexual receptivity during repeated mating, suggesting that VCS from intromissions is necessary for repeated mating to increase sexual receptivity. In the second experiment, female rats received either experimentally administered VCS or control scapular stimulation administered with a plastic probe 1 h prior to testing for sexual receptivity. VCS applied in this manner significantly increased sexual receptivity. Together, these findings suggest that VCS from intromissions is one of the primary factors responsible for increases in sexual receptivity following repeated mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Bennett
- Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
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15
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Fernandes GA. Immunological stress in rats induces bodily alterations in saline-treated conspecifics. Physiol Behav 2000; 69:221-30. [PMID: 10869587 DOI: 10.1016/s0031-9384(99)00226-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This work was developed during an investigation on the neuroendocrine-immune interaction in rats immune challenged with sheep red blood cells (SRBC). The structures used for evaluating the immunological response was the direct plaque-forming cells (PFC). An inbred strain of rat was used to overcome the problem of different timings in the peak humoral immune response. Normal rats were injected intraperitoneally with saline or SRBC and were killed 0, 3, 4, 5, and 6 days later. Body and gland weights were recorded, and. serum levels of corticosterone and prolactin were quantified by radioimmunoassay. The hormone levels and gland weights of the saline conspecifics and SRBC-treated rats were found to be similar. When new rats were housed in a separate room and treated with physiological saline, there were again no differences in the body and gland weights or the serum hormone levels between the two home cage control (HCC) groups of animals. Compared with saline conspecifics and SRBC-treated groups, the HCC groups had higher body weights from the third to the sixth day of treatment and had lower gland weights in absolute and relative analysis (pituitary, thyroid, and adrenals) mainly on the fourth and fifth days; thymus weights were highest on the third day. Corticosterone and prolactin levels were significantly lower on the fifth and sixth days, respectively. Because SRBC-treated rats showed a peak direct immune response on the fourth and fifth days and showed peak corticosterone levels on the fifth day after treatment, we conclude that the former animals were under stress and influenced their saline conspecifics through sound or smell. This conclusion agrees with other studies, showing that physically or emotionally stressed rats can influence conspecifics through noise and body odors.
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Affiliation(s)
- G A Fernandes
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, Núcleo de Medicina e Cirurgia Experimental, Faculdade de Ciéncias Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970, Campinas, Sao Paolo, Brazil.
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16
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Matsuoka M, Yokosuka M, Mori Y, Ichikawa M. Specific expression pattern of Fos in the accessory olfactory bulb of male mice after exposure to soiled bedding of females. Neurosci Res 1999; 35:189-95. [PMID: 10605942 DOI: 10.1016/s0168-0102(99)00082-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The heterogeneous structure of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) has been demonstrated immunocytochemically. In this study, we analyzed the expression of an immediate-early gene protein, c-Fos, as a marker of neuronal activity in response to chemosensory cues was analyzed. The number of c-Fos-immunoreactive (Fos-ir) cells was measured in the rostral and caudal zones of the AOB in male ICR mice after exposure to the soiled bedding of female mice. The results revealed no significant difference in the number of Fos-ir cells in the caudal zone of the AOB between exposure to the soiled bedding of female ICR mice (ICR group) and exposure to that of female Balb mice (Balb group). In the rostral zone, however, the number of Fos-ir cells in the glomerular layer and granule cell layer was larger in the ICR group than in the Balb group. The difference in the expression of c-Fos in response to different pheromonal stimuli between the rostral and caudal zones in the mouse AOB has been shown for the first time in this study. These results strongly suggest that the heterogeneous structure of the AOB has an important role in the perception and processing of pheromones.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Matsuoka
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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Pfaus JG, Heeb MM. Implications of immediate-early gene induction in the brain following sexual stimulation of female and male rodents. Brain Res Bull 1997; 44:397-407. [PMID: 9370204 DOI: 10.1016/s0361-9230(97)00219-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Induction of immediate-early genes (IEGs), such as c-fos, has been widely used to mark the activation of brain regions following different types of sexual stimulation and behavior. A relatively common set of hormone-concentrating basal forebrain and midbrain structures in female and male rodents is activated by copulatory stimulation, in particular, stimulation of sensory nerves that innervate the penis or vagina/cervix, olfactory or pheromonal stimuli, and conditioned sexual incentives. These regions include the preoptic area, lateral septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, paraventricular hypothalamus, ventromedial hypothalamus, medial amygdala, ventral premammillary nuclei, ventral tegmentum, central tegmental field, mesencephalic central gray, and peripeduncular nuclei. Regions that do not contain classic intracellular steroid receptors, such as the ventral and dorsal striatum or cortex, are also activated. IEGs have also been colocalized with cytoplasmic proteins like GnRH and oxytocin, and have been used in conjunction with retrograde tracers to reveal functional pathways associated with different sexual behaviors. Steroid hormones can also alter the ability of sexual stimulation to induce IEGs. Despite the many similarities, some differences in IEG induction between sexes have also been found. We review these findings and raise the question of what IEG induction in the brain actually means for sexual behavior, that is, whether it indicates the perception of sexual stimulation, commands for motor output, or the stimulation of a future behavioral or neuroendocrine event related to the consequences of sexual stimulation. To understand the role of a particular activated region, the behavioral or neuroendocrine effects of lesions, electrical stimulation, drug or hormone infusions, must also be known.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Pfaus
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Heimer L, Harlan RE, Alheid GF, Garcia MM, de Olmos J. Substantia innominata: a notion which impedes clinical-anatomical correlations in neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuroscience 1997; 76:957-1006. [PMID: 9027863 DOI: 10.1016/s0306-4522(96)00405-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Comparative neuroanatomical investigations in primates and non-primates have helped disentangle the anatomy of the basal forebrain region known as the substantia innominata. The most striking aspect of this region is its subdivision into two major parts. This reflects the fundamental organizational scheme for this portion of the forebrain. According to this scheme, two major subcortical telencephalic structures, i.e. the striatopallidal complex and extended amygdala, form large diagonally oriented bands. The rostroventral extension of the pallidum accounts for a large part of the rostral subcommissural substantia innominata, while the sublenticular substantia innominata is primarily occupied by elements of the extended amygdala. Also dispersed across this region is the basal nucleus of Meynert, which is part of a more or less continuous collection of cholinergic and non-cholinergic corticopetal and thalamopetal cells, which stretches from the septum diagonal band rostrally to the caudal globus pallidus. The basal nucleus of Meynert is especially prominent in the primate, where it is sometimes inappropriately applied as a synonym for the substantia innominata, thereby tacitly ignoring the remaining components. In most mammals, the extended amygdala presents itself as a ring of neurons encircling the internal capsule and basal ganglia. The extended amygdala may be further subdivided, i.e. into the central extended amygdala (related to the central amygdaloid nucleus) and the medial extended amygdala (related to the medial amygdaloid nucleus), which generally form separate corridors both in the sublenticular region and along the supracapsular course of the stria terminalis. The extended amygdala is directly continuous with the caudomedial shell of the accumbens, and to some extent appears to merge with it. Together the accumbens shell and extended amygdala form an extensive forebrain continuum, which establishes specific neuronal circuits with the medial prefrontal-orbitofrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe. This continuum is particularly characterized by a prominent system of long intrinsic association fibers, and a variety of highly differentiated downstream projections to the hypothalamus and brainstem. The various components of the extended amygdala, together with the shell of the accumbens, are ideally structured to generate endocrine, autonomic and somatomotor aspects of emotional and motivational states. Behavioral observations support this proposition and demonstrate the relevance of these structures to a variety of functions, ranging from the various elements of the reproductive cycle to drug-seeking behavior. The neurochemical and connectional features common to the accumbens shell and the extended amygdala are especially relevant to understanding the etiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. This is discussed in general terms, and also in specific relation to the neurodevelopmental theory of schizophrenia and to the neurosurgical treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Heimer
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908, USA
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Joppa MA, Meisel RL, Garber MA. -Fos expression in female hamster brain following sexual and aggressive behaviors. Neuroscience 1995; 68:783-92. [PMID: 8577373 DOI: 10.1016/0306-4522(95)00179-m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The goal of these experiments was to use c-Fos immunocytochemistry to determine areas of the female hamster brain that are active during lordosis and aggression. Ovariectomized hamsters were given (i) estradiol and progesterone, plus a lordosis test, (ii) estradiol and progesterone, but no lordosis test, (iii) oil, plus an aggressive behavior test, or (iv) oil, but no behavior test. Results showed that following lordosis, there was increased c-Fos expression in the medial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial accumbens, medial preoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus and medial amygdala. Following a single aggression test, c-Fos was significantly increased only within the medial amygdala. There was no effect of lordosis or aggression on c-Fos expression within the lateral or central ventromedial hypothalamus, suprachiasmatic nucleus or dorsal midbrain central gray. In a second experiment, ovariectomized female hamsters were given (i) repeated aggressive experience, (ii) a single aggression test or (iii) no aggression test. Because some females were not aggressive towards males, they became a separate group post hoc. The number of cells expressing c-Fos was higher in the medial preoptic nucleus and medial amygdala of females given a single aggressive test and in non-aggressive females vs control females. Females given prior aggressive experience showed higher c-Fos expression only in the medial preoptic nucleus. These results demonstrate that increased neural activation in several forebrain nuclei is seen after sexual or aggressive behaviors in female hamsters. However, because the pattern of c-Fos staining in the non-aggressive females was similar to the pattern in aggressive females, this questions previous conclusions regarding the behavioral specificity of these effects and suggests instead that such activation is common to social interactions in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Joppa
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1364, USA
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