Differential regulation of female rat olfactory preference and copulatory pacing by the lateral septum and medial preoptic area.
We examined the effect of bilateral radiofrequency lesions in the lateral septum (LS) or medial preoptic area (MPOA) on olfactory preference (time spent sniffing odors derived from either a stud or castrated male) and pacing behavior (paracopulatory behavior in a cage with a compartment inaccessible to males) in ovariectomized rats following different hormonal regimes. Sham-operated and LS-lesioned females, but not MPOA-lesioned females, preferred odors from the stud males to the castrated males. MPOA lesions significantly decreased total nose-poking time, compared to that of sham-operated females. When mounted by stud males, both LS- and MPOA-lesioned females showed significantly higher lordosis quotients than sham-operated females. On the other hand, LS-lesioned females spent a significantly longer time in the male compartment, and stayed with the males even after they were mounted. These results suggest that the LS and MPOA play different roles in the sociosexual activity in female rats, and that the two regions exert an inhibitory influence on lordosis.
Xiao
Kai
K
Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Kondo
Yasuhiko
Y
Sakuma
Yasuo
Y
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D020665:Septum of Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D004958:Estradiol