Silencing and stimulating the medial amygdala impairs ejaculation but not sexual incentive motivation in male rats

Huijgens, Patty T.; Heijkoop, Roy; Snoeren, Eelke M.S.

doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113206

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…With its tight connections with the medial amygdala (MeA) (Lebow and Chen 2016), it was expected that CaMKIIa-neurons in the BNST have a similar role in sexual behavior as CaMKIIaneurons in the MeA. Previously, we have shown that silencing or stimulating MeA CaMKIIa neurons does not affect sexual incentive motivation in rats (Huijgens et al 2021c). Therefore, this study shows that CaMKIIa-neurons in the BNST and MeA play dissimilar roles in sexual motivation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Behavioral assessment consisted of scoring behavioral events in Observer XT software (Noldus, Wageningen, the Netherlands). For the entire 30 min, 100% of the elapsed time was behaviorally annotated, similar to previous experiments (Huijgens et al 2021a; Huijgens et al 2021c). The ethogram consisted of the copulatory behaviors mount (pelvic thrusting while being mounted on the female), intromission (mounting the female with pelvic thrusting and penile insertion into the vagina; characterized by a more vigorous dismount) and ejaculation (characterized by a longer intromission and the female moving away from the male), as well as genital grooming (autogrooming of the genital region), other grooming (autogrooming in other regions than the genitals), chasing (running after the female), anogenital sniffing (sniffing the anogenital region of the female), head towards female (head oriented in the direction of the female while not engaging in other behavior, also includes sniffing the female), head not towards female (any behavior that is not oriented towards the female except grooming, e.g.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Testing always takes place in a dimly lit (ca 5 lx) room. During testing, a social stimulus (intact male rat) was placed in one of the stimulus cages and a sexual stimulus (receptive female rat; ovariectomized, implanted with a 10% 17β-estradiol silastic capsule, and injected with 1 mg progesterone 4 h before use in the test (standard procedure in our laboratory (Huijgens et al 2021a; Huijgens et al 2021c; Ågmo and Snoeren 2017)) was placed in the other stimulus cage. The position of the stimulus cages and the stimulus rats were randomly changed throughout each experimental session.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate pace of natural reward seeking depending on internal state

Huijgens,

Heijkoop,

Vanderschuren

et al. 2023

Preprint

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This study aims to investigate the underlying neurobiological mechanisms that regulate natural reward seeking behaviors, specifically in the context of sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration. The role of CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) was explored using chemogenetic silencing and stimulation techniques. Additionally, the study examined how these effects interacted with the internal state of the animals. Through detailed behavioral analysis, it was demonstrated that CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST play a significant role in the regulation of both sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration. Although the behavioral outcome measures differed between the two behaviors, the regulatory role of the CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST was found to converge on the modulation of the pacing of engagement in these behaviors in male rats. Moreover, our study confirmed that the internal physiological state of the animal affects how the BNST modulates these behaviors. These findings suggest that different types of natural rewards may recruit a similar brain circuitry to regulate the display of motivated behaviors. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying natural reward seeking and sheds light on the interconnected nature of reward-related behaviors in male rats.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate pace of natural reward seeking depending on internal state

Huijgens,

Heijkoop,

Vanderschuren

et al. 2023

Preprint

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…Two weeks before SNI, 200 nl of the chemogenetic virus rAAV-hSyn-hM4D (Gi)-EGFP-WPRE-pA (Cat No.PT-0153, BrainVTA Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China) was injected into the contralateral ACC using the brain stereotaxic microinjection technique as described above. Clozapine N-oxide (CNO, BrainVTA Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China) 3.3 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally and behavioral tests were performed 45 min after injection ( Huijgens et al, 2021 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cAMP Response Element- Binding Protein/Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Pathway in Anterior Cingulate Cortex Regulates Neuropathic Pain and Anxiodepression Like Behaviors in Rats

Wen

et al. 2022

Front. Mol. Neurosci.

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Neuropathic pain is often accompanied by anxiety and depression-like manifestations. Many studies have shown that alterations in synaptic plasticity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) play a critical role, but the specific underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Previously, we showed that cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) acts as a transcription factor contributing to neuropathic pain development. At the same time, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as important targets of CREB, is intricate in neuronal growth, differentiation, as well as the establishment of synaptic plasticity. Here, we found that peripheral nerve injury activated the spinal cord and ACC, and silencing the ACC resulted in significant relief of pain sensitivity, anxiety, and depression in SNI rats. In parallel, the CREB/BDNF pathway was activated in the spinal cord and ACC. Central specific knockdown and peripheral non-specific inhibition of CREB reversed pain sensitivity and anxiodepression induced by peripheral nerve injury. Consequently, we identified cingulate CREB/BDNF as an assuring therapeutic method for treating neuropathic pain as well as related anxiodepression.

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“…Similarly, male prairie voles must mate in order to form a pair bond ( Insel et al, 1995 ). While the necessary signal of mating has not been specifically identified in any of these species, mating-specific induction of markers of neural activity is observed in the medial amygdala, a key relay for VNO-mediated chemosensory information, while modulation of activity in this region specifically disrupts the consummatory aspects of mating without affecting the preceding social and investigatory behaviors in Syrian hamsters ( Newman et al, 1997 ) and rats ( Huijgens et al, 2021 ). Thus, for example, somatosensory stimulation of the genitals or the neuroendocrine mediators released following ejaculation may signal mating ( Bronson and Desjardins, 1982 ), as they appear to in the formation of olfactory memories in female prairie voles and laboratory mice ( Williams et al, 1992 ; Otsuka et al, 2001 ).…”

Section: Sensory-guided Male Mating Behaviorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cupid’s quiver: Integrating sensory cues in rodent mating systems

Hoglen

Manoli

2022

Front. Neural Circuits

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In many animal species, males and females exploit different mating strategies, display sex-typical behaviors, and use distinct systems to recognize ethologically relevant cues. Mate selection thus requires mutual recognition across diverse social interactions based on distinct sensory signals. These sex differences in courtship and mating behaviors correspond to differences in sensory systems and downstream neural substrates engaged to recognize and respond to courtship signals. In many rodents, males tend to rely heavily on volatile olfactory and pheromone cues, while females appear to be guided more by a combination of these chemosensory signals with acoustic cues in the form of ultrasonic vocalizations. The mechanisms by which chemical and acoustic cues are integrated to control behavior are understudied in mating but are known to be important in the control of maternal behaviors. Socially monogamous species constitute a behaviorally distinct group of rodents. In these species, anatomic differences between males and females outside the nervous system are less prominent than in species with non-monogamous mating systems, and both sexes engage in more symmetric social behaviors and form attachments. Nevertheless, despite the apparent similarities in behaviors displayed by monogamous males and females, the circuitry supporting social, mating, and attachment behaviors in these species is increasingly thought to differ between the sexes. Sex differences in sensory modalities most important for mate recognition in across species are of particular interest and present a wealth of questions yet to be answered. Here, we discuss how distinct sensory cues may be integrated to drive social and attachment behaviors in rodents, and the differing roles of specific sensory systems in eliciting displays of behavior by females or males.

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Silencing and stimulating the medial amygdala impairs ejaculation but not sexual incentive motivation in male rats

Cited by 9 publications

References 50 publications

CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate pace of natural reward seeking depending on internal state

CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate pace of natural reward seeking depending on internal state

The cAMP Response Element- Binding Protein/Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Pathway in Anterior Cingulate Cortex Regulates Neuropathic Pain and Anxiodepression Like Behaviors in Rats

Cupid’s quiver: Integrating sensory cues in rodent mating systems

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