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Ågmo A. Neuroendocrinology of sexual behavior. Int J Impot Res 2024; 36:305-311. [PMID: 36481796 DOI: 10.1038/s41443-022-00654-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
One of the consequences of sexual behavior is reproduction. Thus, this behavior is essential for the survival of the species. However, the individual engaged in sexual behavior is rarely aware of its reproductive consequences. In fact, the human is probably the only species in which sexual acts may be performed with the explicit purpose of reproduction. Most human sexual activities as well as sex in other animals is performed with the aim of obtaining a state of positive affect. This makes sexual behavior important for wellbeing as well as for reproduction. It is not surprising, then, that sexual health has become an increasingly important issue, and that knowledge of the basic mechanisms controlling that behavior are urgently needed. The endocrine control of sexual behavior has been extensively studied, and although it is established that gonadal hormones are necessary, some controversy still exists concerning which hormone does what in which species. The brain areas necessary for sexual behavior have been determined in almost all vertebrates except the human. The medial preoptic area is crucial in males of all non-human vertebrates, whereas the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus is important in females. Modulatory functions have been ascribed to several other brain areas.
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2
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Gong LL, Ma YF, Zhang MQ, Feng HY, Zhou YY, Zhao YQ, Hull JJ, Dewer Y, He M, He P. The melanin pigment gene black mediates body pigmentation and courtship behaviour in the German cockroach Blattella germanica. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 114:271-280. [PMID: 38623047 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485324000166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Genes involved in melanin production directly impact insect pigmentation and can affect diverse physiology and behaviours. The role these genes have on sex behaviour, however, is unclear. In the present study, the crucial melanin pigment gene black was functionally characterised in an urban pest, the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. RNAi knockdown of B. germanica black (Bgblack) had no effect on survival, but did result in black pigmentation of the thoraxes, abdomens, heads, wings, legs, antennae, and cerci due to cuticular accumulation of melanin. Sex-specific variation in the pigmentation pattern was apparent, with females exhibiting darker coloration on the abdomen and thorax than males. Bgblack knockdown also resulted in wing deformation and negatively impacted the contact sex pheromone-based courtship behaviour of males. This study provides evidence for black function in multiple aspects of B. germanica biology and opens new avenues of exploration for novel pest control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang-Lang Gong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Hong-Yan Feng
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Yang-Yuntao Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Ya-Qin Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - J Joe Hull
- USDA-ARS Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, Maricopa AZ, 85138, USA
| | - Youssef Dewer
- Phytotoxicity Research Department, Central Agricultural Pesticide Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center, 7 Nadi El-Seid Street, Dokki 12618, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ming He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Peng He
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
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3
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Ågmo A. Androgen receptors and sociosexual behaviors in mammals: The limits of generalization. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105530. [PMID: 38176634 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Circulating testosterone is easily aromatized to estradiol and reduced to dihydrotestosterone in target tissues and elsewhere in the body. Thus, the actions of testosterone can be mediated either by the estrogen receptors, the androgen receptor or by simultaneous action at both receptors. To determine the role of androgens acting at the androgen receptor, we need to eliminate actions at the estrogen receptors. Alternatively, actions at the androgen receptor itself can be eliminated. In the present review, I will analyze the specific role of androgen receptors in male and female sexual behavior as well as in aggression. Some comments about androgen receptors and social recognition are also made. It will be shown that there are important differences between species, even between strains within a species, concerning the actions of the androgen receptor on the behaviors mentioned. This fact makes generalizations from one species to another or from one strain to another very risky. The existence of important species differences is often ignored, leading to many misunderstandings and much confusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
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4
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Cantini D, Choleris E, Kavaliers M. Neurobiology of Pathogen Avoidance and Mate Choice: Current and Future Directions. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:296. [PMID: 38254465 PMCID: PMC10812398 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals are under constant threat of parasitic infection. This has influenced the evolution of social behaviour and has strong implications for sexual selection and mate choice. Animals assess the infection status of conspecifics based on various sensory cues, with odours/chemical signals and the olfactory system playing a particularly important role. The detection of chemical cues and subsequent processing of the infection threat that they pose facilitates the expression of disgust, fear, anxiety, and adaptive avoidance behaviours. In this selective review, drawing primarily from rodent studies, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the detection and assessment of infection status and their relations to mate choice are briefly considered. Firstly, we offer a brief overview of the aspects of mate choice that are relevant to pathogen avoidance. Then, we specifically focus on the olfactory detection of and responses to conspecific cues of parasitic infection, followed by a brief overview of the neurobiological systems underlying the elicitation of disgust and the expression of avoidance of the pathogen threat. Throughout, we focus on current findings and provide suggestions for future directions and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dante Cantini
- Department of Psychology, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Martin Kavaliers
- Department of Psychology, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada
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5
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Ventura-Aquino E, Ågmo A. The elusive concept of sexual motivation: can it be anchored in the nervous system? Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1285810. [PMID: 38046659 PMCID: PMC10691110 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1285810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual motivation is an abstract concept referring to the mechanisms determining the responsivity to sexually relevant stimuli. This responsivity determines the likelihood of producing a sexual response and the intensity of that response. Both responsivity to stimuli and the likelihood of making a response as well as the intensity of response are characteristics of an individual. Therefore, we need to assume that the concept of sexual motivation materializes in physiological mechanisms within the individual. The aim of the present communication is to analyze the requisites for the endeavor to materialize sexual motivation. The first requisite is to provide an operational definition, making the concept quantifiable. We show that parameters of copulatory behavior are inappropriate. We argue that the intensity of sexual approach behaviors provides the best estimate of sexual motivation in non-human animals, whereas the magnitude of genital responses is an exquisite indicator of human sexual motivation. Having assured how to quantify sexual motivation, we can then proceed to the search for physiological or neurobiological underpinnings. In fact, sexual motivation only manifests itself in animals exposed to appropriate amounts of gonadal hormones. In female rats, the estrogen receptor α in the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus is necessary for the expression of sexual approach behaviors. In male rats, androgen receptors within the medial preoptic area are crucial. Thus, in rats sexual motivation can be localized to specific brain structures, and even to specific cells within these structures. In humans, it is not even known if sexual motivation is materialized in the brain or in peripheral structures. Substantial efforts have been made to determine the relationship between the activity of neurotransmitters and the intensity of sexual motivation, particularly in rodents. The results of this effort have been meager. Likewise, efforts of finding drugs to stimulate sexual motivation, particularly in women complaining of low sexual desire, have produced dismal results. In sum, it appears that the abstract concept of sexual motivation can be reliably quantified, and the neurobiological bases can be described in non-human animals. In humans, objective quantification is feasible, but the neurobiological substrate remains enigmatic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Ventura-Aquino
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, UNAM, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
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Chen N, Liu YJ, Fan YL, Pei XJ, Yang Y, Liao MT, Zhong J, Li N, Liu TX, Wang G, Pan Y, Schal C, Li S. A single gene integrates sex and hormone regulators into sexual attractiveness. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1180-1190. [PMID: 35788705 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01808-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Sex differentiation and hormones are essential for the development of sexual signals in animals, and the regulation of sexual signals involves complex gene networks. However, it is unknown whether a core gene is able to connect the upstream regulators for controlling sexual signal outputs and behavioural consequences. Here, we identify a single gene that integrates both sex differentiation and hormone signalling with sexual attractiveness in an insect model. CYP4PC1 in the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, controls the rate-limiting step in producing female-specific contact sex pheromone (CSP) that stimulates male courtship. As revealed by behavioural, biochemical, molecular, genetic and bioinformatic approaches, in sexually mature females, CYP4PC1 expression and CSP production are coordinately induced by sex differentiation genes and juvenile hormone (JH) signalling. In adult males, direct inhibition of CYP4PC1 expression by doublesexM binding in gene promoter and lack of the gonadotropic hormone JH prevent CSP production, thus avoiding male-male attraction. By manipulating the upstream regulators, we show that wild-type males prefer to court cockroaches with higher CYP4PC1 expression and CSP production in a dose-dependent manner, regardless of their sex. These findings shed light on how sex-specific and high sexual attractiveness is conferred in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China.,Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou, China
| | - Yong-Jun Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Liang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
| | - Xiao-Jin Pei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming-Tao Liao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiru Zhong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou, China
| | - Tong-Xian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, and Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,Laboratory of Insect Ecology and Molecular Biology, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Guirong Wang
- Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yufeng Pan
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Sheng Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China. .,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China. .,Guangmeiyuan R&D Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, South China Normal University, Meizhou, China.
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7
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Ågmo A, Laan E. Sexual incentive motivation, sexual behavior, and general arousal: Do rats and humans tell the same story? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104595. [PMID: 35231490 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sexual incentive stimuli activate sexual motivation and heighten the level of general arousal. The sexual motive may induce the individual to approach the incentive, and eventually to initiate sexual acts. Both approach and the ensuing copulatory interaction further enhance general arousal. We present data from rodents and humans in support of these assertions. We then suggest that orgasm is experienced when the combined level of excitation surpasses a threshold. In order to analyze the neurobiological bases of sexual motivation, we employ the concept of a central motive state. We then discuss the mechanisms involved in the long- and short-term control of that state as well as those mediating the momentaneous actions of sexual incentive stimuli. This leads to an analysis of the neurobiology behind the interindividual differences in responsivity of the sexual central motive state. Knowledge is still fragmentary, and many contradictory observations have been made. Nevertheless, we conclude that the basic mechanisms of sexual motivation and the role of general arousal are similar in rodents and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Ellen Laan
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Gynaecology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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8
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Laan ETM, Klein V, Werner MA, van Lunsen RHW, Janssen E. In Pursuit of Pleasure: A Biopsychosocial Perspective on Sexual Pleasure and Gender. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SEXUAL HEALTH : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR SEXUAL HEALTH 2021; 33:516-536. [PMID: 38595780 PMCID: PMC10903695 DOI: 10.1080/19317611.2021.1965689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Objective: Various sources of evidence suggest that men and women differ in their experience of sexual pleasure. Such gender differences have been attributed to men's higher innate sex drive, supported by evolutionary psychology perspectives and gender differences in reproductive strategies. Method: This paper presents biopsychosocial evidence for gender similarities in the capacity to experience pleasure, and for substantial gender differences in opportunities for sexual pleasure. Results: We conclude that sexual activity, in most cultures, is less pleasurable and associated with greater cost for heterosexual women than for heterosexual men, even though they do not differ in the capacity for sexual pleasure. Conclusion: Since gender differences in experienced sexual pleasure are not a biological given, a more critical discourse of sexual pleasure might create awareness of current inequalities, help lift restrictions for women's opportunities for pleasure, and could reduce gender differences in the cost of sex. That would truly serve sexual justice around the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen T. M. Laan
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Gynaecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Verena Klein
- Institute for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marlene A. Werner
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Gynaecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rik H. W. van Lunsen
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Gynaecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erick Janssen
- Department of Neurosciences, Institute for Family and Sexuality Studies, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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9
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Hernández-Munive AK, Rebolledo-Solleiro D, Fernández-Guasti A. Reduced sexual motivation of diabetic female rats: Restoration with insulin. Horm Behav 2021; 132:104992. [PMID: 33991798 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate female rat sexual motivation in a model of diabetes mellitus type 1. Severe hyperglycemia was induced in ovariectomized Wistar rats by injecting streptozotocin [STZ, 100 mg/kg, i.p.]. Ten days later, females received estradiol benzoate (10 μg/rat, s.c.) plus progesterone (3 mg/rat, s.c.). A group of STZ-treated animals was administered with insulin (2-4 U) every 12 h for 10 days, which normalized glucose levels. In the partner preference (PP) and sexual incentive motivation (SIM) tests, control females spent more time close to a sexually experienced male (SE) than with a castrated male (CM). STZ-treated females stayed the same amount of time with both stimuli, that is, they lost their sexual preference. We also evaluated the sense of smell using two behavioral tests, one related to sexual odors (SO) and another one to food odors (FO). In the SO test, control females spent more time sniffing the sawdust coming from cages that contained SE males; hyperglycemic females remained the same amount of time sniffing the sawdust of both stimuli: SE and CM. In the FO test, no differences were found between control and STZ-treated groups. Insulin treatment reverted the changes observed in hyperglycemic females in the PP, SIM and SO tests. These data suggest that severe hyperglycemia decreases sexual motivation and that insulin recovers such diminution.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Hernández-Munive
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México City, Mexico
| | - D Rebolledo-Solleiro
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología Conductual, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, Mexico; Escuela Internacional de Medicina, Universidad Anáhuac, Cancún, Mexico
| | - A Fernández-Guasti
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México City, Mexico.
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10
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Kavaliers M, Ossenkopp KP, Choleris E. Pathogens, odors, and disgust in rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 119:281-293. [PMID: 33031813 PMCID: PMC7536123 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.09.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
All animals are under the constant threat of attack by parasites. The mere presence of parasite threat can alter behavior before infection takes place. These effects involve pathogen disgust, an evolutionarily conserved affective/emotional system that functions to detect cues associated with parasites and infection and facilitate avoidance behaviors. Animals gauge the infection status of conspecific and the salience of the threat they represent on the basis of various sensory cues. Odors in particular are a major source of social information about conspecifics and the infection threat they present. Here we briefly consider the origins, expression, and regulation of the fundamental features of odor mediated pathogen disgust in rodents. We briefly review aspects of: (1) the expression of affective states and emotions and in particular, disgust, in rodents; (2) olfactory mediated recognition and avoidance of potentially infected conspecifics and the impact of pathogen disgust and its' fundamental features on behavior; (3) pathogen disgust associated trade-offs; (4) the neurobiological mechanisms, and in particular the roles of the nonapeptide, oxytocin, and steroidal hormones, in the expression of pathogen disgust and the regulation of avoidance behaviors and concomitant trade-offs. Understanding the roles of pathogen disgust in rodents can provide insights into the regulation and expression of responses to pathogens and infection in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kavaliers
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Klaus-Peter Ossenkopp
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
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Offensive Behavior, Striatal Glutamate Metabolites, and Limbic-Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Responses to Stress in Chronic Anxiety. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207440. [PMID: 33050201 PMCID: PMC7589759 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Variations in anxiety-related behavior are associated with individual allostatic set-points in chronically stressed rats. Actively offensive rats with the externalizing indicators of sniffling and climbing the stimulus and material tearing during 10 days of predator scent stress had reduced plasma corticosterone, increased striatal glutamate metabolites, and increased adrenal 11-dehydrocorticosterone content compared to passively defensive rats with the internalizing indicators of freezing and grooming, as well as to controls without any behavioral changes. These findings suggest that rats that display active offensive activity in response to stress develop anxiety associated with decreased allostatic set-points and increased resistance to stress.
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12
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The Importance of Restoring Body Fat Mass in the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa: An Expert Commentary. JOURNAL OF POPULATION THERAPEUTICS AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY 2019; 26:e9-e13. [PMID: 31904201 DOI: 10.15586/jptcp.v26i3.629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental disorder that is characterised by dietary restriction, low weight and widespread endocrine abnormalities. Whilst the importance of weight restoration has been recognised in recent guidelines, the significance of normalising body fat mass has received less attention. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that a minimum of 20.5% body fat mass is necessary for regular menses in women with anorexia nervosa of reproductive age. This has significant implications for both treatment and research. It is important to help the patient and carers understand that a certain level of body fat percentage is essential for optimal health, such as the return of menstruation. Further research is needed into how best to use this information to help motivation to change as part of treatment. The benefit of the return of menstruation goes beyond improved fertility: it signals the normalisation of sexual hormones, which have a widespread impact on the body and multiple pathways in the brain. Given the complex functions of adipocytes in various organs of the body, the metabolic effects of the normal body fat tissue should not be underestimated. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind the link between minimum body fat mass, menstruation, bone and brain health in anorexia nervosa.
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Le Moëne O, Ågmo A. Modeling Human Sexual Motivation in Rodents: Some Caveats. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:187. [PMID: 31507386 PMCID: PMC6719563 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual behavior is activated by motivation. An overwhelming majority of experimental studies of the intricacies of sexual motivation has been performed in rodents, most of them in rats. Sometimes it is desirable to generalize results obtained in this species to other species, particularly the human. It is hoped that studies of the neurobiology of rodent sexual behavior may shed light on the central nervous mechanisms operating in the human, and the search for efficient pharmacological treatments of human sexual dysfunctions relies partly on studies performed in rodents. Then the issue of generalizability of the rodent data to the human becomes crucial. We emphasize the importance of distinguishing between copulatory acts, behavior involving the genitals, and the preceding event, the establishment of physical contact with a potential mate. Comparisons between the structure of copulatory behavior in rats and humans show abysmal differences, but there may be some similarity in the underlying mechanisms. The endocrine control of sex behavior is shortly mentioned, and we also compare the effects of the few drugs known to affect both rodent and human copulatory behavior. The stimuli activating sexual motivation, often called desire in the human literature, are examined, and the sexual approach behaviors in rats and humans are compared. There is a striking similarity between these species in how these behaviors respond to drugs. It is then shown that the intensity of sexual approach is unrelated to the intensity of copulatory behavior. Even though the approach is a requisite for copulation, an activity that requires at least two individuals in close physical contact, these two aspects of sexuality do not covary. This is similar to the role of the testosterone in men and male rats: although the hormone is needed for sex behavior, there is no correlation between serum testosterone concentration and the intensity of copulation. It is also pointed out that human sexual behavior is mostly determined by social conventions, whereas this is not the case in rats and other rodents. It is concluded that some observations in rats can be generalized to the human, but extreme caution must be exercised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Le Moëne
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
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14
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Ullmann E, Perry SW, Licinio J, Wong ML, Dremencov E, Zavjalov EL, Shevelev OB, Khotskin NV, Koncevaya GV, Khotshkina AS, Moshkin MP, Lapshin MS, Komelkova MV, Feklicheva IV, Tseilikman OB, Cherkasova OP, Bhui KS, Jones E, Kirschbaum C, Bornstein SR, Tseilikman V. From Allostatic Load to Allostatic State-An Endogenous Sympathetic Strategy to Deal With Chronic Anxiety and Stress? Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:47. [PMID: 30967764 PMCID: PMC6442703 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The concepts of allostatic load and overload, i. e., a dramatic increase in the allostatic load that predisposes to disease, have been extensively described in the literature. Here, we show that rats engaging in active offensive response (AOR) behavioral strategies to chronic predator scent stress (PSS) display less anxiety behavior and lower plasma cortisol levels vs. rats engaging in passive defensive response (PDR) behavioral strategies to chronic PSS. In the same chronic PSS paradigm, AOR rats also have higher lactate and lower glutamate levels in amygdala but not in control-region hippocampus vs. PDR rats. The implications of these findings for regulation of allostatic and stress responses, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Ullmann
- Department of Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Seth W Perry
- College of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Julio Licinio
- College of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Ma-Li Wong
- College of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Eliyahu Dremencov
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia.,Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Centre for Biosciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.,Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Evgenii L Zavjalov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS), Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Oleg B Shevelev
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS), Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Nikita V Khotskin
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS), Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Galina V Koncevaya
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS), Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anna S Khotshkina
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS), Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Mikhail P Moshkin
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (RAS), Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Maxim S Lapshin
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Maria V Komelkova
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Inna V Feklicheva
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Olga B Tseilikman
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Olga P Cherkasova
- Biophysics Laboratory, Institute of Laser Physics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Kamaldeep S Bhui
- Centre for Psychiatry, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Edgar Jones
- Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Department of Psychology, Biopsychology, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan R Bornstein
- Department of Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vadim Tseilikman
- School of Medical Biology, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
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15
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Le Moëne O, Ågmo A. Behavioral responses to emotional challenges in female rats living in a seminatural environment: The role of estrogen receptors. Horm Behav 2018; 106:162-177. [PMID: 30391223 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen receptors (ERs) are involved in sexual as well as non-sexual behaviors. In the present study we assessed the effects of stimuli inducing positive or negative affect on sociosexual, exploratory and fear-related behaviors of female rats housed in groups (4 females, 3 males) in a seminatural environment. Ovariectomized females were treated with oil, 17β‑estradiol benzoate (EB, 18 μg/kg), the ERα agonist propylpyrazoletriol (PPT), or the ERβ agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN) (both 2 × 10 mg/rat). On the test day, the females were exposed to a sequence of events consisting of lavender odor, Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos K448, chocolate pellets, white noise and fox odor (2,3,5‑Trimethyl‑3‑thiazoline, TMT). All these events are known to induce positive or negative affect. Behavior was carefully observed from the video record. White noise suppressed sexual behaviors and reduced the time spent in the open area of the environment. TMT had no consistent effect whereas exposure to music caused avoidance of the open area. Exposure to chocolate increased exploratory and social behavior. Lavender odor enhanced exploratory behavior. PPT and EB stimulated sexual behaviors, whereas DPN was ineffective. Co-occurrence analyses of the sequence of behavioral patterns revealed that PPT and EB consistently belonged to clusters different from oil and DPN, whereas DPN was separate from oil only under fear-inducing experimental conditions. These data, from a procedure with external validity, confirm that the ERα is crucial for sexual behaviors, that these behaviors are reduced under stressful conditions, and that the ERβ may have some role in fear-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway
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16
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Kuiper LB, Coolen LM. Compulsive Sexual Behavior in Humans and Preclinical Models. CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11930-018-0157-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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17
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