title: Copulation or sensory cues from the female augment Fos expression in arginine vasopressin neurons of the posterodorsal medial amygdala of male rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The posterodorsal part of the medial amygdala is essential for processing reproductively salient sensory information in rodents. This is the initial brain structure where information from olfactory system and male hormones intersect. The neurochemical identity of the neurons participating in the sensory processing in medial amygdala remains presently undetermined. Many neurons in this brain structure express arginine vasopressin in a testosterone-dependent manner, suggesting that this neuropeptide is maintained by the androgenic milieu.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we use Fos, a protein expressed by recently active neurons, to quantify activation of arginine vasopressin neurons after exposure to odor from physically inaccessible female. We compare it to mating with accessible female and to reproductively innocuous odor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We show that inaccessible female activate arginine vasopressin neurons in the male posterodorsal medial amygdala. The magnitude of activation is not further enhanced when physical access with resultant mating is granted, even though it remains undetermined if same population of AVP neurons is activated by both inaccessible female and copulation. We also show that arginine vasopressin activation cannot be fully accounted for by mere increase in the number of Fos and AVP neurons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These observations posit a role for the medial amygdala arginine vasopressin in reproductive behaviors, suggesting that these neurons serve as integrative node between the hormonal status of the animal and the availability of reproductive opportunities.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Nanyang 637551, Republic of Singapore.
authors.forename: Shantala Arundathi
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hari Dass
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Nanyang 637551, Republic of Singapore.
authors.forename: Ajai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vyas
keywords: Affiliation; Mating; Neuropeptide; Nonapeptide; Pheromone; Sexual behavior; Social behavior; Testosterone; Vasotocin