The induction by testosterone of aromatase activity in the preoptic area and activation of copulatory behavior

Balthazart, Jacques; Foidart, Agnès; Hendrick, J. C.

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(90)90045-6

Cited by 126 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Testosterone similarly increases the concentration of the aromatase protein and the corresponding messenger RNA supporting the idea that testosterone induced changes in brain aromatase activity result of an increase in gene transcription [1,23]. As expected, these effects are relatively slow and take many hours if not days to be expressed [25].…”

Section: Brain Synthesized Estrogenssupporting

confidence: 72%

Functional significance of the rapid regulation of brain estrogen action: Where do the estrogens come from?

2006

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Estrogens exert a wide variety of actions on reproductive and non-reproductive functions. These effects are mediated by slow and long lasting genomic as well as rapid and transient non-genomic mechanisms. Besides the host of studies demonstrating the role of genomic actions at the physiological and behavioral level, mounting evidence highlights the functional significance of non-genomic effects. However, the source of the rapid changes in estrogen availability that are necessary to sustain their fast actions is rarely questioned. For example, the rise of plasma estrogens at pro-estrus that represents one of the fastest documented changes in plasma estrogen concentration appears too slow to explain these actions. Alternatively, estrogen can be synthesized in the brain by the enzyme aromatase providing a source of locally high concentrations of the steroid. Furthermore, recent studies demonstrate that brain aromatase can be rapidly modulated by afferent inputs, including glutamatergic afferents. A role for rapid changes in estrogen production in the central nervous system is supported by experiments showing that acute aromatase inhibition affects nociception as well as male sexual behavior and that preoptic aromatase activity is rapidly (within min) modulated following mating. Such mechanisms thus fulfill the gap existing between the fast actions of estrogen and their mode of production and open new avenues for the understanding of estrogenic effects on the brain.

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Section: Brain Synthesized Estrogenssupporting

confidence: 72%

Functional significance of the rapid regulation of brain estrogen action: Where do the estrogens come from?

2006

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“…We have shown elsewhere that in the course of the first weeks after hatching young gulls increase the sensitivity of social behavior to androgens and suggested that this may be a strategy to avoid the costs of androgens on growth and begging behavior (Groothuis and Meeuwissen, 1992;Ros et al, 2002). We now suggest that an increase in aromatase activity may be part of this mechanism, perhaps due to early testosterone production itself since testosterone has been shown to upregulate aromatase activity (Balthazart, 1997;Balthazart et al, 1990Balthazart et al, , 1994Steimer and Hutchison, 1981).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

The hormonal control of begging and early aggressive behavior: Experiments in black-headed gull chicks

Groothuis

Ros

2005

Hormones and Behavior

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“…A total of 59 experiments (E) were conducted with five different groups of birds that were either left gonadally intact (Group 1) or were castrated and implanted with one (Groups 3 and 5) or two (Groups 2 and 4) 20 mmlong capsule(s) filled with testosterone. These capsules have been proven to provide circulating concentrations of testosterone in the upper range of physiological concentrations (Balthazart et al, 1990b). Groups 1 to 4 were used in experiments testing the effect of Vorozole ™ and results were analyzed with meta-analytical procedures (See statistical analysis section below for more detail).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this case one sees qualitative differences in behavior (i.e. engaging in sexual behavior with a stimulus female or not) that require days or even weeks to implement fully (Balthazart, Foidart, and Hendrick, 1990b). A second temporal domain of behavioral regulation is much quicker.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid effects of aromatase inhibition on male reproductive behaviors in Japanese quail

Cornil

Taziaux

Baillien

et al. 2006

Hormones and Behavior

102

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Non-genomic effects of steroid hormones on cell physiology have been reported in the brain. However, relatively little is known about the behavioral significance of these actions. Male sexual behavior is activated by testosterone partly through its conversion to estradiol via the enzyme aromatase in the preoptic area (POA). Brain aromatase activity (AA) changes rapidly which might in turn be important for the rapid regulation of behavior. Here, acute effects of Vorozole ™ , an aromatase inhibitor, injected IP at different doses and times before testing (between 15 and 60 min), were assessed on male sexual behavior in quail. To limit the risk of committing both types of statistical errors (I and II), data of all experiments were entered into a meta-analysis. Vorozole ™ significantly inhibited mount attempts (p<0.05, size effect [g]=0.527) and increased the latency to first copulation (p<0.05, g=0.251). The treatment had no effect on the other measures of copulatory behavior. Vorozole ™ also inhibited appetitive sexual behavior measured by the social proximity response (p<0.05, g=0.534) or rhythmic cloacal sphincter movements (p<0.001, g=0.408). Behavioral inhibitions always reached a maximum at 30 min. Another aromatase inhibitor, androstatrienedione, induced a similar rapid inhibition of sphincter movements. Radioenzyme assays demonstrated that within 30 min Vorozole ™ had reached the POA and completely blocked AA measured in homogenates. When added to the extracellular milieu, Vorozole ™ also blocked within 5 min the AA in POA explants maintained in vitro. Together, these data demonstrate that aromatase inhibition rapidly decreases both consummatory and appetitive aspects of male sexual behavior.

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The induction by testosterone of aromatase activity in the preoptic area and activation of copulatory behavior

Cited by 126 publications

References 35 publications

Functional significance of the rapid regulation of brain estrogen action: Where do the estrogens come from?

Functional significance of the rapid regulation of brain estrogen action: Where do the estrogens come from?

The hormonal control of begging and early aggressive behavior: Experiments in black-headed gull chicks

Rapid effects of aromatase inhibition on male reproductive behaviors in Japanese quail

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