Progestin concentrations are increased following paced mating in midbrain, hippocampus, diencephalon, and cortex of rats in behavioral estrus, but only in midbrain of diestrous rats.
BACKGROUND
The progesterone (P(4)) metabolite, 5alpha-pregnan-3alpha-ol-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-THP), acts in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) to modulate the intensity and duration of lordosis. 3alpha,5alpha-THP can also have anti-anxiety and anti-stress effects in part through actions in the hippocampus. Separate reports indicate that manipulating 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels in the VTA or hippocampus respectively can influence lordosis and affective behavior. 3alpha,5alpha-THP levels can also be altered by behavioral experiences, such as mating or swim stress. Whether endogenous levels of 3alpha,5alpha-THP modulate and/or are increased in response to affective and/or reproductively-relevant behaviors was investigated.


METHODS
In Experiment 1, rats in behavioral estrus or diestrus were individually tested sequentially in the open field, elevated plus maze, partner preference, social interaction, and paced mating tasks and levels of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)), P(4), dihydroprogesterone (DHP), and 3alpha,5alpha-THP in serum, midbrain, hippocampus, diencephalon, and cortex were examined. In Experiments 2 and 3, rats in behavioral estrus or diestrus, were individually tested in the battery indicated above, with, or without, paced mating and tissues were collected immediately after testing for later assessment of endocrine measures.


RESULTS
In Experiment 1, behavioral estrous, compared to diestrous, rats demonstrated more exploratory, anti-anxiety, social, and reproductive behaviors, and had higher levels of E(2) and progestins in serum, midbrain, hippocampus, diencephalon, and cortex. In Experiment 2, in midbrain and hippocampus, levels of 3alpha,5alpha-THP and its precursor DHP were increased among rats in behavioral estrus that were mated. In diencephalon, and cortex, DHP levels were increased by mating. In Experiment 3, in midbrain, levels of 3alpha,5alpha-THP and its precursor DHP were increased among diestrous rats that were tested in the behavioral battery with mating as compared to those tested in the behavioral battery without mating.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased levels of 3alpha,5alpha-THP in behavioral estrus versus diestrous rats are associated with enhanced exploratory, anti-anxiety, social, and reproductive behaviors. Rats in behavioral estrus that are mated have further increases in 3alpha,5alpha-THP and/or DHP levels in midbrain, hippocampus, diencephalon, and cortex than do non-mated rats in behavioral estrus, whereas diestrous rats only show 3alpha,5alpha-THP increases in midbrain in response to behavioral testing that included mating.
Frye
Cheryl A
CA
Department of Psychology, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222 , USA. cafrye@albany.edu
Rhodes
Madeline E
ME
D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology*; D004031:Diestrus / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism; D004971:Estrus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000378:metabolism*; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011372:Progestins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012919:Social Behavior
D011372:Progestins; D004958:Estradiol; D011280:Pregnanolone