Perinatal dopamine-related drugs demasculinize rats.
Administration of haloperidol, a common neuroleptic, to pregnant or lactating rats impaired the masculine sex behavior of their male offspring. Prenatal haloperidol did not affect testosterone concentrations in fetuses. Maternal administration of apomorphine, a dopamine agonist, and of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, an inhibitor of dopamine synthesis, also demasculinized male offspring. In both experiments other behaviors and developmental milestones were unaffected. Perinatal haloperidol, apomorphine, and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine did not lower testosterone in adulthood. These drugs may act directly on neurons that control masculine behavior without lowering testosterone prenatally or in adulthood.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D004542:Ejaculation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008781:Methyltyrosines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D008781:Methyltyrosines; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D013739:Testosterone; C022260:alpha-methyltyrosine methyl ester; D006220:Haloperidol; D001058:Apomorphine; D004298:Dopamine