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Science 3 March 1972:
Vol. 175. no. 4025, pp. 1003 - 1005
DOI: 10.1126/science.175.4025.1003
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Articles

Sexual Receptivity: Facilitation by Medial Preoptic Lesions in Female Rats

Bradley Powers 1 and Elliot S. Valenstein 1

1 Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48104

Lesions in the medial preoptic area of ovariectomized female rats reduced the quantity of estrogen needed to induce sexual receptivity in these animals. In addition, the number of days over which receptive behavior could be elicited after a single initial estrogen injection and with subsequent daily progesterone treatment was significantly increased by lesions in the medial preoptic area. These findings support the view that estrogen acts to reduce an inhibitory action that is tonically exerted by the medial preoptic area on pathways mediating estrous behavior.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Nonclassical Mechanisms of Progesterone Action in the Brain: II. Role of Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II in Progesterone-Mediated Signaling in the Hypothalamus of Female Rats.
B. Balasubramanian, W. Portillo, A. Reyna, J. Z. Chen, A. N. Moore, P. K. Dash, and S. K. Mani (2008)
Endocrinology 149, 5518-5526
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Sexual and social stimuli elicit rapid and contrasting genomic responses.
M. E Cummings, J. Larkins-Ford, C. R.L Reilly, R. Y Wong, M. Ramsey, and H. A Hofmann (2008)
Proc R Soc B 275, 393-402
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nuclear Receptor Coactivator Function in Reproductive Physiology and Behavior.
H. A. Molenda, C. P. Kilts, R. L. Allen, and M. J. Tetel (2003)
Biol Reprod 69, 1449-1457
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Disinhibition of female sexual behavior by a CRH receptor antagonist in Syrian hamsters.
J. E. Jones, R. R. Pick, M. D. Davenport, A. C. Keene, E. S. Corp, and G. N. Wade (2002)
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol 283, R591-R597
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nuclear Receptor Coactivators Modulate Hormone-Dependent Gene Expression in Brain and Female Reproductive Behavior in Rats.
H. A. Molenda, A. L. Griffin, A. P. Auger, M. M. McCarthy, and M. J. Tetel (2002)
Endocrinology 143, 436-444
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Periventricular Preoptic Area Neurons Coactivated with Luteinizing Hormone (LH)-Releasing Hormone (LHRH) Neurons at the Time of the LH Surge Are LHRH Afferents.
W. W. Le, K. A. Berghorn, S. Rassnick, and G. E. Hoffman (1999)
Endocrinology 140, 510-519
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Abnormal Estrous Cyclicity and Behavioral Hyporesponsiveness to Ovarian Hormones in Genetically Obese Zucker Female Rats.
C. L. M. Bivens and D. H. Olster (1997)
Endocrinology 138, 143-148
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Sex differences in dendritic structure in the preoptic area of the juvenile macaque monkey brain.
D. Ayoub, W. Greenough, and J. Juraska (1983)
Science 219, 197-198
   Abstract »    PDF »
Vaginocervical stimulation selectively increases metabolic activity in the rat brain.
T. Allen, N. Adler, J. Greenberg, and M Reivich (1981)
Science 211, 1070-1072
   Abstract »    PDF »
Axonal projections of medial preoptic and anterior hypothalamic neurons.
L. Conrad and D. Pfaff (1975)
Science 190, 1112-1114
   Abstract »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)