Dopamine receptor antagonists attenuate conditioned place preference following sexual behavior in female Syrian hamsters

Meisel, Robert L.; Joppa, Margaret; Rowe, Richard K.

doi:10.1016/0014-2999(96)00389-5

Cited by 65 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…This effect was blocked by systemic administration of the dopamine (DA) D2 receptor antagonist, raclopride, prior to each sexual behavior test. Data from [57]. Sexually experienced (Exper) or inexperienced female (No Exper) hamsters were implanted with microdialysis probes in the nucleus accumbens and the females were placed with a male for 1 hr.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexual experience in female rodents: Cellular mechanisms and functional consequences

Meisel

Mullins

2006

Brain Research

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The neurobiology of female sexual behavior has largely focused on mechanisms of hormone action on nerve cells and how these effects translate into the display of copulatory motor patterns. Of equal importance, though less studied, are some of the consequences of engaging in sexual behavior, including the rewarding properties of sexual interactions and how sexual experience alters copulatory efficiency. This review summarizes the effects of sexual experience on reward processes and copulation in female Syrian hamsters. Neural correlates of these sexual interactions include longterm cellular changes in dopamine transmission and postsynaptic signaling pathways related to neuronal plasticity (e.g., dendritic spine formation). Taken together, these studies suggest that sexual experience enhances the reinforcing properties of sexual behavior, which has the coincident outcome of increasing copulatory efficiency in a way that can increase reproductive success.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, several studies using dopamine receptor antagonists have produced mixed results. Pretreating female hamsters with dopamine D2 receptor antagonists [57] prevented the acquisition of a conditioned place preference to sexual interactions (Fig. 3).…”

Section: Sexual Experience Has Rewarding Consequences In Femalesmentioning

confidence: 92%

Sexual experience in female rodents: Cellular mechanisms and functional consequences

Meisel

Mullins

2006

Brain Research

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“…These manipulations did not alter sexual performance, suggesting that this pathway is involved in the motivational aspects of the behavior rather than the consummatory phase. In addition, antagonists to either DA or opioid receptors inhibit the development of conditioned place preference to sexual behavior (Agmo and Berenfeld, 1990;Meisel et al, 1996).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Behavioral studies indicate that male rodent sexual behaviorFand in particular ejaculationFis a rewarding and reinforcing behavior. Male rats readily develop a conditioned place preference to copulation (Agmo and Berenfeld, 1990;Agmo and Gomez, 1993;Meisel et al, 1996;Paredes and Alonso, 1997;Lopez et al, 1999;Martinez and Paredes, 2001), and will perform operant tasks to gain access to a sexually receptive female .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Behavior and Sex-Associated Environmental Cues Activate the Mesolimbic System in Male Rats

Balfour

Coolen

2003

Neuropsychopharmacol

165

125

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The mesolimbic system plays an important role in the regulation of both pathological behaviors such as drug addiction and normal motivated behaviors such as sexual behavior. The present study investigated the mechanism by which this system is endogenously activated during sexual behavior. Specifically, the effects of sexual experience and sex-related environmental cues on the activation of several components of the mesolimbic system were studied. The mesolimbic system consists of a dopaminergic projection from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Previous studies suggest that these neurons are under tonic inhibition by local GABA interneurons, which are in turn modulated by mu opioid receptor (MOR) ligands. To test the hypothesis that opioids are acting in the VTA during sexual behavior, visualization of MOR internalization in VTA was used as a marker for ligand-induced activation of the receptor. Significant increases in MOR internalization were observed following copulation or exposure to sex-related environmental cues. The next goal was to determine if sexual behavior activates dopamine neurons in the VTA, using tyrosine hydroxylase as a marker for dopaminergic neurons and Fos-immunoreactivity as a marker for neuronal activation. Significant increases in the percentage of activated dopaminergic neurons were observed following copulation or exposure to sex-related environmental cues. In addition, mating and sex-related cues activated a large population of nondopaminergic neurons in VTA as well as neurons in both the NAc Core and Shell. Taken together, our results provide functional neuroanatomical evidence that the mesolimbic system is activated by both sexual behavior and exposure to sex-related environmental cues.

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“…Research has shown that a wide array of stimuli can condition an increase in preference. For example, access to "natural" appetitive stimuli like food (Spyraki et al 1982a), water (Ågmo et al 1993), sweet fl uids (Ågmo and Marroquin 1997), conspecifi c interaction (Calcagnetti and Schechter 1992), wheel running (Antoniadis et al 2000), copulation (Meisel et al 1996), and novel stimuli can condition preferences in rodents. These preferences are subject to changes in motivational state, as food-deprived rats will prefer a context previously paired with food, whereas water-deprived rats will prefer a context previously paired with water (Perks and Clifton 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conditioned place preference: what does it add to our preclinical understanding of drug reward?

2000

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Rationale: Among the various experimental protocols that have been used to measure drug reward in laboratory animals, conditioned place preference (CPP) has been one of the most popular. However, a number of controversial issues have surrounded the use of this experimental protocol. Objective: The present review provides a theoretical overview of some critical issues relevant to CPP. The advantages and limitations of CPP are also covered. Results: Based on modern and traditional theoretical formulations of Pavlovian conditioning, CPP appears to refl ect a preference for a context due to the contiguous association between the context and a drug stimulus. Within this theoretical framework, it seems clear that CPP measures a learning process that is fundamentally distinct from drug self-administration. The main advantages of CPP are that it: (1) tests animals in a drugfree state; (2) is sensitive to both reward and aversion; (3) allows for simultaneous determination of CPP and locomotor activity; (4) is adaptable to a variety of species; (5) typically yields dose-effect curves that are monophasic rather than biphasic; and (6) has utility in probing the neural circuits involved in drug reward. The main limitations of CPP are that it: (1) is subject to interpretation based on the notion of novelty seeking; (2) is cumbersome for providing the graded dose-effect curves needed for answering some pharmacological questions; (3) is diffi cult to interpret when animals prefer one context prior to drug conditioning; and (4) lacks face validity as an experimental protocol of drug reward in humans. Conclusion: Despite some limitations, CPP provides unique information about the rewarding effect of contextual cues associated with a drug stimulus.

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Dopamine receptor antagonists attenuate conditioned place preference following sexual behavior in female Syrian hamsters

Cited by 65 publications

References 12 publications

Sexual experience in female rodents: Cellular mechanisms and functional consequences

Sexual experience in female rodents: Cellular mechanisms and functional consequences

Sexual Behavior and Sex-Associated Environmental Cues Activate the Mesolimbic System in Male Rats

Conditioned place preference: what does it add to our preclinical understanding of drug reward?

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