Role of monoamines in the control by hormones of sexual receptivity in the female rat.
The involvement of indole- and catecholamines in the hormonal regulation of sexual receptivity has been investigated in ovariectomized female rats. Drugs that reduce 5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine, and adrenaline or increase noradrenaline neurotransmission tended to facilitate the occurrence of estrous behavior in estrogen-treated females, and drugs having opposite effects tended to inhibit receptivity induced by estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen decreased noradrenaline turnover in cortex and brain stem; progesterone enhanced this effect in brain stem but prevented it in cortex. Both hormones tended to block noradrenaline uptake in hypothalamus in vitro. In a schedule used to induce receptivity, estrogen accelerated serotonin turnover, an effect prevented by progesterone. Thus a number of monoamines may be involved in the control by hormones of estrous behavior. Furthermore, hormones affect both amine turnover and uptake mechanisms.
D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D004971:Estrus / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011187:Posture; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*
D004967:Estrogens; D012701:Serotonin; D011374:Progesterone; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine