Intracerebroventricular infusion of the galanin antagonist M40 attenuates heterosexual partner preference in ferrets.
Gonadectomized, estradiol-treated male and female ferrets (Mustela furo) received intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusions of 4 doses of the galanin receptor antagonist M40 or galanin and were allowed to approach breeding male or female ferrets that were placed behind wire mesh barriers in the goal boxes of a T maze. After i.c.v. infusion of saline, subjects strongly preferred to approach stimulus ferrets of the opposite sex. Male and female subjects approached these preferred stimulus animals on significantly fewer trials after i.c.v. infusion of the 2 highest doses of M40, whereas this drug failed to affect males' coital behavior in separate tests with an estrous female. Endogenous galanin may facilitate neural reward mechanisms that control heterosexual partner preference in both sexes.
Park
J J
JJ
Department of Biology, Boston University, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Baum
M J
MJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets; D019004:Galanin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020010:Heterosexuality; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000166:cytology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage
C079517:M40; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000804:Angiotensin II; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D019004:Galanin