Neural control of male-like pseudocopulatory behavior in the all-female lizard, Cnemidophorus uniparens: effects of intracranial implantation of dihydrotestosterone.
Dihydrotestosterone was implanted directly into the brain of ovariectomized all-female Cnemidophorus uniparens. Only implants located in the anterior hypothalamus-preoptic area (AH-POA) induced male-like pseudocopulatory behavior. Implants in other brain regions, including the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), failed to elicit mounting and intromission behavior. Implants in the VMH also failed to elicit female-like receptive behavior. Radioimmunoassay revealed no significant difference in circulating levels of androgen between the responding and the nonresponding animals. These findings support previous studies implicating the AH-POA as the major integrative area for male-typical mounting and intromission behavior.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D003307:Copulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007032:Hypothalamus, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects; D007033:Hypothalamus, Middle / Q000187:drug effects; D008116:Lizards / Q000502:physiology*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects
D013196:Dihydrotestosterone