Elevated plasma testosterone concentrations during stallion-like sexual behavior in mares (Equus caballus)

Monorchidism in a Phenotypic Mare With a 64,XY, SRY-Positive Karyotype

Disorders of sexual development (DSD) are associated with atypical chromosomal, gonadal, or phenotypic sex. It is likely that the number of cases of DSD are underestimated in the equine population. Monorchidism in the horse is very rare. This case report describes the clinical assessment of a phenotypic mare with stallion-like behavior which led to the diagnosis of a DSD. A 4-year-old Quarter Horse mare presented in good body condition, with normal external genitalia for a mare, and normal mammary glands with two bilaterally symmetric teats. No uterus, cervix, or gonads were detected on transrectal palpation. Transrectal ultrasonography revealed a single gonad in the right dorsal abdomen with the morphologic appearance of a testicle. Presurgical hormonal evaluation revealed elevated serum testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations. The right gonad was successfully removed via standing exploratory laparoscopy and submitted for histopathology. No gonad was identified on the left side during laparoscopy. Histopathologic examination confirmed that the excised gonad was a testicle. Cytogenetic and molecular analysis revealed a 64,XY, SRY-positive chromosomal constitution. Hormonal evaluation 5 weeks after surgery revealed low serum testosterone and AMH levels. A diagnosis of monorchidism was based on ultrasound examination, laparoscopic exploration of the abdomen, removal of a single gonad, and a subsequent decrease in serum testosterone and AMH concentrations to basal levels. In summary, a combination of clinical signs, endocrine evaluation, chromosomal and molecular analysis, and histopathology can be used in the diagnosis of DSD conditions.

Olfactory stimulation or inhibition of sexual behavior of stallions in non-breeding season

Stallions show decreased sexual responses and activities during short days in winter. To evaluate the importance of sexual olfactory communication in horses, we tested whether sexual responses could be stimulated through various sexual olfactory stimulations in winter. To this end, we presented stallions with various olfactory stimulations (urine from mares at different stages of the reproductive cycle, urine from stallions or geldings, or chemically defined synthetic odorant) during the non-breeding season and measured their behavioral responses through (1) a test of olfactory investigation (olfactory investigation and flehmen behavior) and (2) a test of sexual activity in the context of semen collection for artificial insemination. It appears that the duration of olfactory investigation and flehmen behavior is longer after presentation of urine (stallion, gelding, anestrous, diestrous and estrous mare) than after presentation of water or synthetic odorant. By contrast, geldings showed reduced flehmen behavior that did not differ from that after water presentation. It is of interest that during the mounting test, mare estrous urine was associated with significantly reduced latency to ejaculation when spread in the nostril of the stallion, compared to anestrous mare urine or water. Anestrous mare urine seems to even inhibit stallion sexual motivation as measured through a longer latency to reach mounting and ejaculation. It appears therefore that during the season of sexual rest, stallion sexual motivation can be stimulated by mare estrous urine and inhibited by mare anestrous urine. These results also suggest that the physiological state of the mare influence the content of urinary chemosignals.

Male behavior by knockout

A recent paper published by Kimchi, Xu, and Dulac in Nature describes the emergence of male-type sexual behavior in female mice following incapacitation of the accessory olfactory system. The authors argue that this implies a default male-type behavioral pattern that is otherwise constantly inhibited in the female brain by chemical signals transduced in the accessory olfactory system. In addition to reviewing these findings, we suggest in this Preview how these findings in the mouse could have relevance for human behavior.