[The effect of social isolation during juvenile period on the sexual arousal in adult rats].
The effects of chronic postweaning social isolation combined with subsequent resocialization on the sexual arousal were studied in male rats with inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension (ISIAH strain) and in Wistar rats. Young males were isolated on the Day 21 of postnatal life for 6 weeks. Then they were kept in groups of 5. 4-month males underwent the partition test: a receptive female was introduced into the male's cage, but the male and the female were separated by a transparent partition. The number of approaches to the partition and total time spent near the partition during the test served as an index of sexual motivation. Hormonal component of sexual arousal was estimated by measuring plasma testosterone level. No interstrain differences in magnitude of the sexual arousal were observed. However, chronic social isolation during juvenile period caused a genotype-dependent diminution of sexual motivation in the adult male rats of both strains. The decrease of sexual motivation in ISIAH rats was more pronounced as compared to Wistar rats. Moreover, the social isolation during the juvenile period completely abolished the female-induced rise in plasma testosterone in ISIAH and Wistar male rats. Plasma corticosterone level was increased during the period of sexual arousal, but this rise of corticosterone was not affected by the social conditions during postweaning period.
Bulygina
V V
VV
Amstislavskaia
T G
TG
Maslova
L N
LN
D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D012934:Social Isolation; D013045:Species Specificity; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013739:Testosterone; D003345:Corticosterone