Dopamine D1 receptor stimulation of the nucleus accumbens or the medial preoptic area promotes the onset of maternal behavior in pregnancy-terminated rats.
There is good evidence that interference with the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system results in impaired maternal responding in postpartum female rats. However, whether activation of the mesolimbic DA system is capable of promoting maternal behavior has not been investigated. This study examined whether increasing DA activity in various brain regions of pregnancy-terminated, naive female rats would stimulate the onset of maternal behavior. Experiments 1 and 2 examined the effects of microinjection of various doses (0, 0.2, or 0.5 microg/0.5 microl/side) of a D1 DA receptor agonist, SKF 38393, or a D2 DA receptor agonist, quinpirole, into the nucleus accumbens (NA) on latency to show full maternal behavior, and Experiment 3 determined the effects of SKF 38393 injection into a control site. Finally, because the medial preoptic area (MPOA) is also important for maternal behavior, receives DA input, and expresses DA receptors, the authors examined whether microinjection of SKF 38393 into MPOA was capable of stimulating the onset of maternal behavior. Results indicated that microinjection of SKF 38393 into either the NA or the MPOA facilitates maternal responding in pregnancy-terminated rats.
Stolzenberg
Danielle S
DS
Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA. danielle.stolzenberg@gmail.com
McKenna
Jonathan B
JB
Keough
Samantha
S
Hancock
Rebecca
R
Numan
Marilyn J
MJ
Numan
Michael
M
D015647:2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D008845:Microinjections; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019257:Quinpirole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000819:agonists*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000819:agonists
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D006728:Hormones; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D019257:Quinpirole; D015647:2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine