Effects of postnatal exposure to alcohol on reproductive physiology and sexually dimorphic behavior in a marsupial, the gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica).
The effects of postnatal exposure to alcohol on reproductive physiology and sexually dimorphic behavior and anatomy in adult male and female gray short-tailed opossums were examined. Female responsiveness to male pheromones and fertility in both sexes were essentially normal in postnatally alcohol-treated animals. However, aspects of sexually dimorphic behavior were masculinized and defeminized in females and demasculinized in males following gonadectomy in adulthood and treatment with male (testosterone) or female (estradiol) hormones. The possible role of alterations in neural aromatase activity by perinatal alcohol exposure in mediating these behavioral effects and the potential use of this marsupial species in perinatal alcohol studies are discussed.
Fadem
B H
BH
Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07730.
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004958:Estradiol / Q000502:physiology; D004971:Estrus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009893:Opossums; D012543:Scent Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000502:physiology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012931:Social Environment; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012724:Sex Attractants; D000431:Ethanol; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol