Effects of neonatal estrogen treatment of female guinea pigs on mounting behavior in adulthood.
Female guinea pigs were treated with 200 micrograms estradiol dipropionate (ED) daily from Days 1 to 15 of life. As adults they all ovulated. After gonadectomy and estrogen-progesterone treatment in adulthood, lordosis behavior was evident and showed no decrements (compared with neonatally oil-treated controls) except for a marginal decrease in maximum duration scores. However, testosterone propionate treatment in adulthood significantly increased mounting behavior in neonatally ED-treated females compared to the controls. On the other hand, estrogen-progesterone treatment in adulthood stimulated mounting in the neonatally oil-treated group, but not in the neonatally estrogenized group. The results suggest that at least some aspects of steroid-dependent behaviors can be permanently influenced by estrogen treatment after the presumed prenatal critical period for sexual differentiation has been completed in guinea pigs.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D011187:Posture; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012727:Sex Characteristics / Q000187:drug effects; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; C023482:estradiol dipropionate