Gonadal Steroid Hormone Receptors and Social Behaviors

Blaustein, Jeffrey D.; Olster, Deborah H.

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-73827-2_2

Cited by 114 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 404 publications

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“…Activation of progestin receptors by progesterone causes down-regulation of the receptors, which induces hyposensitivity to progesterone, resulting in a loss of the behavioral response (Blaustein and Olster, 1989). Because mating stimulation, particularly VCS, is believed to cause ligand-independent activation of progestin receptors (Auger et al, 1997), it is possible that mating stimulation also induces down-regulation of progestin receptors leading to the hastened termination of sexual receptivity.…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mating Stimulation Required for Mating-Induced Estrous Abbreviation in Female Rats: Effects of Repeated Testing

Bennett

Blasberg

Blaustein

2002

Hormones and Behavior

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Mating stimulation, particularly vaginal-cervical stimulation, causes estrous abbreviation in female rats. In most previous studies, female rats were repeatedly tested for sexual behavior until estrous termination occurred. Thus, it was not clear whether sensory stimulation (e.g., flank stimulation, olfactory cues) received during the repeated testing procedure contributed to estrous abbreviation. In Experiment 1, we determined the effect of premating to two or four ejaculations on the rate of estrous termination when a repeated testing procedure was used. We compared ovariectomized, hormone-primed, female rats receiving (1) four ejaculations, (2) two ejaculations, or (3) no premating. Females premated to either two or four ejaculations showed significantly lower levels of sexual receptivity 12 h later than did nonpremated females. These results confirm that premating induces estrous abbreviation when a repeated testing procedure is used. In Experiment 2, we determined whether the repeated testing procedure was necessary for estrous abbreviation. Ovariectomized, hormone-primed female rats were premated to two ejaculations or not premated. The rats were then tested for sexual behavior repeatedly or only once. Females that were premated and repeatedly tested for sexual behavior showed a statistically significant decrease in sexual receptivity compared to females that were not premated; however, the level of sexual receptivity in premated females did not differ from that in non-premated females when they were tested only once. The results suggest that heat duration is the result of a complex interplay between those factors that promote the expression of sexual receptivity and those that inhibit it.

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Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mating Stimulation Required for Mating-Induced Estrous Abbreviation in Female Rats: Effects of Repeated Testing

Bennett

Blasberg

Blaustein

2002

Hormones and Behavior

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“…This cell nuclear PR accumulation, in turn, requires an adequate supply of cytosol progestin receptors (CPR), the synthesis of which is increased by estradiol (14,15). The inability of adult males to display progesteronefacilitated lordosis has been hypothesized to result, in part, from a deficiency in estradiol-induced PR in hypothalamic and/or preoptic area sites (16)(17)(18)(19).…”

Section: Cf 13)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochemical and Immunocytochemical Assessment of Neural Progestin Receptors Following Estradiol Treatments that Eliminate the Sex Difference in Progesterone‐Facilitated Lordosis in Guinea‐Pigs

Olster

Blaustein

1990

J Neuroendocrinology

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A single injection of estradiol benzoate (10 pg), while highly effective in ovariectomized female guinea-pigs, does not prime castrated males to display progesterone-facilitated lordosis. In contrast, adult males and females exhibit the same, high degree of progesterone-facilitated lordosis when primed with two, 2.0 pg injections of free estradiol-17B (pulse regimen). We compared neural progestin receptor induction after these different estradiol treatments by in vitro radioligand binding assays and imrnunocytochemistry. Binding assays confirmed previous observations of lower concentrations of cytosol progestin receptors in the rnediobasal hypothalamus-preoptic area in estradiol benzoate-treated males than in females. No such sex difference was observed in animals that had been exposed to the behaviorally effective estradiol pulse regimen; rather, hypothalamic-preoptic area progestin receptor concentrations in these animals did not differ from the low levels observed in males treated with the behaviorally ineffective estradiol benzoate regimen. lmmunocytochemical analysis revealed progestin receptor-immunoreactivity in fewer cells in the medial preoptic nucleus-anterior hypothalamic nucleus, periventricular preoptic area and arcuate nucleus of estradiol pulse-as compared to estradiol benzoate-treated males and females. Estradiol benzoate treatment induced progestin receptor-immunoreactivity in more cells in the medial preoptic area and ventrolateral hypothalamus than estradiol pulses in males, but not in females. Surprisingly, in these regions estradiol benzoate-treated males had significantly more progestin receptor-immunoreactive cells than females.These experiments yield two major findings: First, as has been shown in rats, the display of progesterone-facilitated lordosis is not inflexibly differentiated according to sex in guinea-pigs. Furthermore, reduced concentrations of estradiol-induced progestin receptors in the hypothalamus and preoptic area cannot account for the lack of progesterone-facilitated lordosis that is observed following priming with estradiol benzoate in males. Secondly, in the medial preoptic area and ventrolateral hypothalamus of female guinea-pigs, estradiol pulses are as effective as estradiol benzoate in inducing progestin receptors. These observations, taken together with the finding of equal behavioral efficacy of the two estradiol treatments, are consistent with the hypothesis that estradiol-induced progestin receptors in these regions of the brain are involved in progesterone-facilitated lordosis in female guinea-pigs.The display of feminine sexual behavior in many rodents, including guinea-pigs, is believed to be sexually differentiated. Exposure of the inherently female brain to gonadal steroid hormones (testosterone and/or estradiol) during a pennatal 'critical period' permanently masculinizes and defeminizes the neural mechanisms underlying the expression of sexual behavior and estrous cyclicityThe sexually receptive posture, lordosis, can be induced in ovariectomized ...

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“…1a). Local administration of steroid in some of these areas restores sexual behaviour in castrated animals (Blaustein and Olster, 1989). Areas vary between male and female but are remarkably similar across species.…”

Section: Sites and Mechanisms Of Steroid Action And Sexual Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…In rats and guinea-pigs, correlations have been demonstrated between receptive behaviour and concentrations of steroid receptors in specific brain areas (Blaustein and Olster, 1989). Therefore, the sites of steroid action can be inferred from observations on localization of steroid binding sites or receptors.…”

Section: Sites and Mechanisms Of Steroid Action And Sexual Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Noradrenaline transmission is involved in both progesterone and oestradiol binding (Blaustein and Olster, 1989;Crowley et al, 1989). Inhibition of noradrenaline synthesis or blockade of α1 receptors in guinea-pigs decreases cytosolic progesterone receptor in the VMH by about 30%, and stimulation of α1 receptors reverses this effect (Blaustein and Olster, 1989).…”

Section: Effects Of Neurotransmitters On Steroid Action In the Brainmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Steroid control of monoamines in relation to sexual behaviour

Fabre-Nys

1998

Reviews of Reproduction

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Sexual behaviour can be described in terms of two components. The first, 'appetitive' component includes the search for a partner and the display of courtship behaviour that stimulates the partner's sexual interest. This component is linked to the degree of motivation. The second, 'consummatory' component includes the display of behaviour that will lead to mating: adoption of a correct posture by the female and intromission and ejaculation by the male. In males, the intensity of sexual behaviour is most often measured by the latencies and the frequencies with which these behaviours occur. However, these parameters provide only a partial insight into sexual behaviour and, in particular, its motivational aspects. Specific methods have been developed to study particular motivational aspects in males (Everitt, 1990). In females, the term 'consummatory' is rarely used and the two components are labelled proceptivity and receptivity after Beach (1976). Proceptive behaviours are the expression of the appetitive component and depend, at least in part, on the motivational state of the animal. Sexual receptivity consists of those behaviours that allow copulation and, in most species, includes immobility. In cats and laboratory rodents, the female adopts a posture called lordosis which is a reflexive arching of the back. This posture is the most commonly used parameter to quantify female sexual behaviour, but the fact that it is only a sign of receptivity with no obvious motivational component and that it is not necessarily applicable to all species is sometimes ignored.Although it is simplistic, the view of two distinct components having different neuroendocrine bases has proved to be very useful in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying sexual behaviour (Everitt, 1990).The probability of sexual behaviour being displayed by an adult animal in response to the appropriate stimulation is modulated by gonadal steroids. The importance of this steroid modulation varies markedly since males and females in several species, including humans and some other primates, show sexual behaviour after gonadectomy (Dixson, 1983). However, even in these species, steroids have been shown to modulate expression of some aspects of sexual behaviour (Bancroft, 1984).In general, sexual behaviour is sexually dimorphic: males and females have different behavioural repertoires and prefer to engage in sexual behaviour with a partner of the opposite sex. Little is known about the sexual differentiation of partner preference but the development of the sexual behavioural repertoire has been shown, in most species, to depend on the presence of gonadal testosterone, acting directly or through its metabolite oestradiol, during the embryonic or perinatal period (Baum, 1979). Male sexual behaviourMale sexual behaviour is generally displayed when testosterone has been present early in life, as in genetic males. In some species, females also display some elements of male behaviour spontaneously, but generally these patterns are expressed only after an e...

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Gonadal Steroid Hormone Receptors and Social Behaviors

Cited by 114 publications

References 404 publications

Mating Stimulation Required for Mating-Induced Estrous Abbreviation in Female Rats: Effects of Repeated Testing

Mating Stimulation Required for Mating-Induced Estrous Abbreviation in Female Rats: Effects of Repeated Testing

Biochemical and Immunocytochemical Assessment of Neural Progestin Receptors Following Estradiol Treatments that Eliminate the Sex Difference in Progesterone‐Facilitated Lordosis in Guinea‐Pigs

Steroid control of monoamines in relation to sexual behaviour

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