Affective properties of intra-medial preoptic area injections of testosterone in male rats.
On alternating days, adult male Long-Evans rats implanted with unilateral cannulae in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) received intracerebral injections of testosterone (0.05, 0.1 or 0.2 microg/0.5 microl), or saline immediately prior to confinement for 30 min to one of two compartments of a place preference apparatus. All rats received 8 days of pairings (4 hormone and 4 saline). On day 9, the rats were given a hormone-free 20-min test session during which they had access to all compartments of the apparatus. Intra-MPOA injections of testosterone (0.1 microg) produced a conditioned place preference, while injections of a higher dose (0.2 microg) produced a conditioned place aversion. The rewarding effects of intra-MPOA testosterone may in part mediate the facilatory effects of testosterone on motivational aspects of sexual behavior.
King
B E
BE
Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans, LA, USA.
Packard
M G
MG
Alexander
G M
GM
D000339:Affect; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012201:Reward; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013739:Testosterone