Changes in the metabolism of hypothalamic norepinephrine associated with the onset of maternal behavior in the nulliparous rat.
Both norepinephrine (NE) and its major metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), were assayed both in the hypothalamus of nulliparous rats that had behaved maternally toward foster young and in the hypothalamus of those that had failed to behave maternally. It was found that the maternally-behaving animals had both lower concentrations of NE and higher concentrations of MHPG as compared with their nonresponding counterparts. These data parallel those reported for the puerperal female and suggest that the onset of maternal behavior may be mediated by increased transmission across hypothalamic noradrenergic synapses.
D015098:3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethanol / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
D015098:3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethanol; D009638:Norepinephrine