title: Sexual differences in the neonatal serotonin effect on hormone secretion in rats.
abstract: A number of authors in the literature have reported facilitatory or inhibitory effects of serotonin (5-HT) on gonadotropin secretion, sexual hormones content or sexual behavior, but little information has been reported about the possible role of serotonin administered during the critical period of sexual differentiation. To test this possibility, we have injected a 5-HT intraventricularly to neonate male and female rats in order to examine the influence during the critical period of this single treatment on the adult sexual hormone content and sexual behavior. Neonatal administration of 5-HT in the brain decreases significantly estradiol content of adult females, without affecting testosterone level in males. Neither male nor female sexual behavior was affected by 5-HT injection on day 1 of life. These data evidence a sexual difference of serotonin administration during the critical period on gonadal hormones secretion in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Animal II (Fisiologia Animal), Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Leret
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol