Sexual incentive motivation, olfactory preference, and activation of the vomeronasal projection pathway by sexually relevant cues in non-copulating and naive male rats

Portillo, Wendy; Paredes, Raúl G.

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2004.03.001

Cited by 76 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Non-copulating rats appear not to differ from copulating rats in baseline titers of testosterone (Alexander et al, 1999;Damassa, Smith, Tennent, & Davidson, 1977), and cannot be induced reliably to perform sexually by the introduction of supraphysiological testosterone (Damassa et al, 1977). Copulating rats have been shown to have increased fos responses in the MPOA following vomeronasal stimulation with estrous female bedding, whereas non-copulating rats do not show this change (Portillo & Paredes, 2004). The present study data support the idea that human asexuals may have a higher excitatory threshold for sexual arousal.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Asexuality: Classification and Characterization

2007

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The term "asexual" has been defined in many different ways and asexuality has received very little research attention. In a small qualitative study (N = 4), individuals who self-identified as asexual were interviewed to help formulate hypotheses for a larger study. The second larger study was an online survey drawn from a convenience sample designed to better characterize asexuality and to test predictors of asexual identity. A convenience sample of 1,146 individuals (N = 41 self-identified asexual) completed online questionnaires assessing sexual history, sexual inhibition and excitation, sexual desire, and an open-response questionnaire concerning asexual identity. Asexuals reported significantly less desire for sex with a partner, lower sexual arousability, and lower sexual excitation but did not differ consistently from non-asexuals in their sexual inhibition scores or their desire to masturbate. Content analyses supported the idea that low sexual desire is the primary feature predicting asexual identity.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Asexuality: Classification and Characterization

2007

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“…The soiled bedding preference test was performed as previously described (40). Each animal was subjected to three trials performed on the same day, with the three compartments containing soiled bedding being arranged randomly to eliminate the influence of positional preference.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of the main olfactory system and main olfactory epithelium-dependent male mating behavior are altered in G _o -deficient mice

Choi

Kim

Choi

et al. 2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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In mammals, initial detection of olfactory stimuli is mediated by sensory neurons in the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) and the vomeronasal organ (VNO). The heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein G o is widely expressed in the MOE and VNO of mice. Early studies indicated that G o expression in VNO sensory neurons is critical for directing social and sexual behaviors in female mice [Oboti L, et al. (2014) BMC Biol 12:31]. However, the physiological functions of G o in the MOE have remained poorly defined. Here, we examined the role of G o in the MOE using mice lacking the α subunit of G o . Development of the olfactory bulb (OB) was perturbed in mutant mice as a result of reduced neurogenesis and increased cell death. The balance between cell types of OB interneurons was altered in mutant mice, with an increase in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive interneurons at the expense of calbindin-positive interneurons. Sexual behavior toward female mice and preference for female urine odors by olfactory sensory neurons in the MOE were abolished in mutant male mice. Our data suggest that G o signaling is essential for the structural and functional integrity of the MOE and for specification of OB interneurons, which in turn are required for the transmission of pheromone signals and the initiation of mating behavior with the opposite sex.heterotrimeric G o protein | olfactory mucosa | olfactory bulb interneuron | tyrosine monooxygenase | sexual behavior P heromones evoke diverse social and sexual behaviors in animals of the same species. In mammals, initial detection of olfactory stimuli is mediated by sensory neurons in the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) and vomeronasal organ (VNO). Early studies indicated that the VNO is largely responsible for the detection of pheromones and the consequent direction of social and sexual behaviors (1). VNO sensory neurons (VSNs) express distinct types of vomeronasal receptors: type 1 (V1Rs) in the apical region and type 2 (V2Rs) in the basal region. These receptors couple, respectively, to G i and G o members of the heterotrimeric GTPbinding protein family. It has been suggested that, following ligand binding to V1Rs and V2Rs, the Gβγ subunits released from G i and G o activate phospholipase C and increase the intracellular concentration of Ca 2+ . Ca 2+ ions induce opening of small Ca 2+ -activated K + (SK3) channels, subsequently activating Ca 2+ -activated Cl − channels (CACCs). In the VNO, Gβγ can also directly induce the opening of G protein-activated inward rectifying K + (GIRK) channels independently of transient receptor potential cation channel C2 (TRPC2) (2). Because of the VNO's high luminal K + concentration (2), opening of SK3 and GIRK channels leads to depolarization of VSNs and transmission of pheromone signals. Targeted deletion of the TRPC2 gene abrogates gender identification and intermale aggression without affecting male-to-female mating behavior in male mice (3, 4). Targeted deletion of the GIRK1 gene partially attenuates mating behavior of the male toward fem...

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“…Since its discovery, calcium-binding proteins, mainly calbindin and calretinin, have been intensively studied, in the beginning as anatomical marker due to its different distribution in several regions of the brain [35]. These authors reported that in the rat brain, the AOB is one of the structures more stained not only in the neuronal bodies but also on the fibers of the vomeronasal nerve for both calretinin and calbindin.…”

Section: Role Of Calretinin and Calbindin In Vs-mexamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These authors reported that in the rat brain, the AOB is one of the structures more stained not only in the neuronal bodies but also on the fibers of the vomeronasal nerve for both calretinin and calbindin. In the amygdala, the MeA is characterized by numerous cells of small size within innumerable fibers of small diameter [35]. Calbindin distribution was also studied [25].…”

Section: Role Of Calretinin and Calbindin In Vs-mexamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Detection of conspecific pheromones elicits fos expression in GABA and calcium-binding cells of the rat vomeronasal system–medial extended amygdala

2010

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The olfactory accessory system is specialized in the detection of pheromones, being an afferent to medial extended amygdala. In spite of the fact that numerous phenotypes are found in these structures, in the current literature, there are no detailed descriptions about the phenotype of neurons in the vomeronasal system-medial extended amygdala after their activation by pheromonal stimuli. Using immunohistochemistry for fos and dual immunohistochemistry for fos and phenotypes, here we show that females have a greater number of activated neurons by the pheromonal stimulus. Likewise, a great colocalization of fos with GABA, calretinin, and calbindin was observed in the vomeronasal system-medial extended amygdala. These data suggest that in amygdaloid areas, neuronal excitability is controlled by GABAergic neurons that contain different calcium-binding proteins, indicating the important role of inhibitory control on the incoming sensory pheromonal and olfactory inputs controlled and processed by the vomeronasal system.

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Sexual incentive motivation, olfactory preference, and activation of the vomeronasal projection pathway by sexually relevant cues in non-copulating and naive male rats

Cited by 76 publications

References 62 publications

Asexuality: Classification and Characterization

Asexuality: Classification and Characterization

Development of the main olfactory system and main olfactory epithelium-dependent male mating behavior are altered in G _o -deficient mice

Detection of conspecific pheromones elicits fos expression in GABA and calcium-binding cells of the rat vomeronasal system–medial extended amygdala

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Sexual incentive motivation, olfactory preference, and activation of the vomeronasal projection pathway by sexually relevant cues in non-copulating and naive male rats

Cited by 76 publications

References 62 publications

Asexuality: Classification and Characterization

Asexuality: Classification and Characterization

Development of the main olfactory system and main olfactory epithelium-dependent male mating behavior are altered in G o -deficient mice

Detection of conspecific pheromones elicits fos expression in GABA and calcium-binding cells of the rat vomeronasal system–medial extended amygdala

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Development of the main olfactory system and main olfactory epithelium-dependent male mating behavior are altered in G _o -deficient mice