Maternal behavior in the rat: facilitation through gonadectomy.
Virgin rats were ovariectomized and tested for induction of maternal behavior by being housed with neonatal young. A postoperative interval of 8 weeks yielded an average latency for the onset of maternal behavior significantly lower than that for intact controls or for virgin females ovariectomized 4 weeks before testing. Replacement of estrogen in the group ovariectomized for 8 weeks or injection of the estrogen antagonist ethamoxytriphetol (MER-25) in the group ovariectomized for 4 weeks changed the average latencies accordingly. Parallel results were obtained for males that were castrated 4 or 8 weeks before testing. It is concluded (i) that maternal behavior is under gonadal control and that this control is normally inhibitory; and (ii) that only after long-term removal of the gonads, resulting presumably in the complete clearance of estrogen and testosterone, is the maternal mediating system finally released from steroid suppression.
D000818:Animals; D000840:Anisoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002369:Castration; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D005021:Ethylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012737:Sex Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D000840:Anisoles; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D004967:Estrogens; D005021:Ethylamines; D010636:Phenols; D013739:Testosterone