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PubMed1980

Effect of transportation on sexual behavior of cats.

Transportation of an established feline colony approximately 1500 miles did not inhibit the resumption of behavioral reproductive cyclicity. Estrous behavior was observed as early as 18 days following shipment and mean duration of these first post-transfer estrous periods was normal. Relocation appeared to induce a synchronizing effect on behavioral cyclicity, since 76.2% and 42.9% of the population exhibited estrous onset during Days 18--31 and Days 24--26 respectively, following transport.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Oxytocin--a neuropeptide for affiliation: evidence from behavioral, receptor autoradiographic, and comparative studies.

Oxytocin (OT) is a nine amino acid peptide synthesized in hypothalamic cells which project either to the neurohypophysis or to sites within the central nervous system. Although neurohypophyseal OT release has long been associated with uterine contraction and milk ejection, the function of intracerebral OT remains unclear. On the basis of behavioral, cellular, and comparative studies, this review suggests that brain OT influences the formation of social bonds. The first part of this review examines evidence linking central OT to several forms of affiliation. Central administration of OT induces maternal and reproductive behaviors in rats primed with gonadal steroids. OT antagonists and hypothalamic lesions block the initiation of maternal and reproductive behaviors but have no effects on these behaviors once established. Our new studies in rat pups demonstrate that central OT selectively decreases the separation response, an effect which mimics social contact. These studies of parental, reproductive, and attachment behaviors suggest that exogenous OT has "prosocial" effects and that endogenous OT may be essential for initiating social interaction. In a second series of experiments, we investigated the cellular mechanisms for OT's effects on social behavior by means of autoradiographic receptor binding. In the rat forebrain, OT receptors are expressed in several limbic regions believed to be involved in the integration of sensory processing. The regulation of these receptors is surprisingly resistant to either ablation of OT cells or repeated central administration of OT. However, receptors in two regions, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN), appear selectively induced by exogenous or endogenous increases in gonadal steroids. At parturition, binding to OT receptors increases 84% in the BNST, and at estrus, binding increases 35% in the VMN. These results demonstrate that physiologic changes in gonadal steroids can alter receptor expression in anatomically discrete target fields and thereby direct responsiveness to endogenous neuropeptide release. A model for OT's effects on social behavior is proposed, which relies on the heterologous regulation of the brain OT receptor. A third series of experiments tested the hypothesis that brain OT influences affiliation by comparing prairie and montane voles, two closely related species with dichotomous systems of social organization. Although no differences appear in the presynaptic expression of the neuropeptide, OT receptors are distributed in complementary patterns in the two species. In the highly affiliative prairie vole, receptors are most evident in the BNST and one of its primary afferents, the lateral amygdala, highlighting a circuit previously implicated in maternal behavior.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The effect of diabetes on sexual behavior and reproductive tract function in male rats.

The effect of streptozotocin induced diabetes and sabeluzole (SBZ) on sexual function was evaluated in male rats. SBZ is a benzothiazole derivative with antihypoxic and antiischaemic activities. Rats were rendered diabetic by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, 60 mg./kg. body weight, and either left untreated or treated with 1.0 mg./kg. of SBZ. Two groups of control rats treated with or without SBZ were also evaluated. Seven weeks after the induction of diabetes, all rats were studied in vivo for mating behavior. Animals were sacrificed one week later, and detrusor strip response in vitro was evaluated. The reproductive organ weight, sperm content and motility as well as in vitro testosterone secretion and serum levels of LH and testosterone were determined. Diabetes induced significant reduction in mating behavior. The diabetic rats that received SBZ showed a significant improvement in mating behavior. The percentage of animals that exhibited ejaculation was 0% in the diabetic group compared to 70% in the controls and 38% in diabetic plus SBZ group. The strips of the detrusor muscle of the diabetic group showed a marked hypersensitivity to bethanechol HCL. In the diabetic plus SBZ group, the strips of the detrusor muscle showed a response similar to that of the control. The diabetic rats had significantly diminished reproductive organ weight, testicular sperm content, epididymal sperm content and sperm motility relative to the control. In addition, marked decrease in the serum level of testosterone and in vitro testosterone secretion was observed in diabetic rats. In the diabetic plus SBZ group, the reproductive organ weight, sperm content and motility as well as serum testosterone and in vitro testosterone secretion showed an improvement compared to diabetic rats. In summary, our data suggest that sex behavior and reproductive tract functions are markedly affected by streptozotocin induced diabetes. Sabeluzole treatment could be beneficial in reducing the deleterious effect of diabetes on sexual functions.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Sex differences in the vomeronasal system.

In the early eighties we found sex differences in the vomeronasal organ (VNO) and hypothesized that the vomeronasal system (VNS), a complex neural network involved in the control of reproductive behavior, might be sexually dimorphic. At that time sex differences had already been described for some structures that receive VNO input, such as the medial amygdala, the medial preoptic area, the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, and the ventral region of the premammillary nucleus. Since then, we have shown sex differences in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), the bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract (BAOT), and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST). When new VNS connections were found, all of them ended in nuclei that present sex differences. In general, sex differences in the olfactory system show two morphological patterns: one in which males present greater morphological measures than females, and just the opposite. To explain the morphometric measures of males in the latter, it has been hypothesized that androgens serve as inhibitors. Our work on the involvement of the GABA(A) receptor in the development of AOB and maternal behavior sex differences also suggests that neonatal changes in neuronal membrane permeability to the ion Cl- differences. This might be the first animal model to help us to understand the situation in which human genetic and gonadal sex do not agree with brain and behavioral sex. Finally, we stress that sex differences in the VNS constitute a neurofunctional model for understanding sex differences in reproductive behaviors.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

A concept of physiological time: rhythms in behavior and reproductive physiology.

Biological clocks are self-sustained and endogenous. Animals have biological clocks in a variety of frequencies. Biological clocks provide temporal coordination among physiological, behavioral, and environmental events. One important function of steroid hormones may be to alter the temporal coordination among those events. Biological clocks provide a referent mechanism for the timing of both current and future endogenous and exogenous events. Physiological time is a unifying principle in biology.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Differential regulation of proenkephalin gene expression by estrogen in the ventromedial hypothalamus of male and female rats: implications for the molecular basis of a sexually differentiated behavior.

The ventrolateral aspect of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VL-VM) contains many estrogen-concentrating neurons which mediate estrogen facilitation of reproductive behavior. Previous studies have shown that estrogen treatment increases proenkephalin (PE) gene expression in neurons of the VL-VM in ovariectomized female rats, and that enkephalin peptides may stimulate lordosis behavior. To determine whether there is a sex difference in steroid hormone regulation of PE gene expression we have examined the effects of estrogen and testosterone on PE mRNA levels in male rats. Slot blot hybridization analysis of RNA isolated from the ventromedial hypothalamus indicated that estrogen treatment increased PE mRNA levels in the VL-VM of ovariectomized female rats (2.2-fold), but had no measurable effect on PE mRNA levels in gonadectomized males. Testosterone treatment of gonadectomized males also had no effect on PE gene expression. To determine whether the sex difference in estrogen-inducibility of PE gene expression is due to the developmental effects of gonadal steroids, we have investigated the effect of estrogen on PE mRNA levels in the VL-VM of neonatally androgenized female rats. Unlike the genetic male, the androgenized females responded to estrogen treatment with a female-typical increase in PE mRNA levels (1.7-fold). Further, although the androgenized rats clearly exhibited signs of defeminization, they did exhibit estrogen-facilitated lordosis behavior when tested with manual stimulation. The PE mRNA induction in estrogen-treated androgenized rats correlated well with the lordosis scores obtained by manual stimulation testing. These results indicate that estrogen regulation of PE gene expression in the VL-VM is sexually differentiated and support the hypothesis that the enkephalinergic neurons of the VL-VM are involved in the regulation of female reproductive behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Behavioral and reproductive effects of chronic developmental exposure to brominated vegetable oil in rats.

Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0% of the food additive brominated vegetable (soybean) oil (BVO) for 2 weeks prior to mating. After conception, the diets were continued throughout gestation and lactation for the females. The same diets were also provided to the dams' offspring throughout their development (up to 90-120 days of age). BVO at 2.0% of the diet completely blocked reproduction. BVO at 1.0% of the diet severely impaired conception, reduced maternal body weight, and produced slightly reduced litter sizes but no evidence of malformations. At this dose postnatal mortality was high, and survivors showed impaired growth and severe behavioral impairments on a battery of standardized tests of functional development. After weaning, adequate data could not be obtained because of the high mortality rate in this group. BVO at 0.5% of the diet produced less reproductive interference and much less offspring mortality or impairment of growth, but produced behavioral impairments almost as severe as seen in the BVO 1.0% group. In addition, this group exhibited severely reduced postweaning activity, delayed vaginal patency development, and reduced day-90 weight. BVO at 0.25% of the diet produced reproductive deficits similar to the BVO 0.5% group, but less severe effects on growth and behavioral development. This group showed no significant increase in offspring mortality. The data demonstrate clear evidence of dose-related physical and behavioral developmental toxicity.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[Results of a case-control study of the current effect of various factors on risk of cervix cancer. 1. Factors in reproduction, sex behavior and infectious genital diseases].

We performed a case control study to determine factors which influence the development of cervical carcinoma. Factors like reproduction, sexual behaviour and genital infections were considered. 309 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or invasive cervical carcinoma were interviewed as a study group. 490 patients with no cervical changes served as control group. The two groups of patients had a different age distribution with an early age summit in the study group. No differences were observed in relation to residence areas and attendance of screening for cervical carcinoma. 83.5% of the women in the study group (n = 258) and 81.0% (n = 397) of the control group attended the screening for cervical carcinoma. According to our observation, the following factors increased the risk of CIN or invasive cervical carcinoma: early menarche (< 14 years vs > 14 years), multiparity (0 vs 1-3 vs > 4), first pregnancy before the age of 20, divorced women, early sexual contact (< 14-17 years vs 18-21 years vs > 21 years), multiple sexual partners, vaginal discharge and venereal diseases (gonorrhea, syphilis). Factors like reproductive characteristics and genital infections can be interpreted as expressions of sexual behaviour. Despite the improving social status, increasing health consciousness and extensive mass-screening for cervical cancer, the above mentioned risk factors still play an important role. Risk group should be followed and examined strictly so as to reduce the rate of invasive cervical carcinoma in screened patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Progesterone modulation of androgen receptors in the brain and pituitary of male guinea pigs.

Androgen receptors (AR) were determined in cytosol and nuclear extracts of pituitary and neural tissue from intact male guinea pigs by a binding assay using [3H]dihydrotestosterone as ligand. Saturation analyses of cytosol from hypothalamus-preoptic area (POA)-amygdala regions and anterior pituitary revealed receptors (ARc) with apparent Kd values of 2.52 and 3.83 X 10(-10) M, respectively. Nuclear salt extracts from the same tissues contained receptors (ARn) with Kd values of 4.38 and 5.12 X 10(-10) M. Reproductive behavior of 10 males was observed with receptive females for 10 min once a week. After 4 weeks, half of the animals received 10 mg progesterone (P)/day for an additional 4 weeks. P treatment significantly (P less than 0.05) increased latency to first mount and decreased mounts per test period. After behavioral testing, analysis of the AR content of specific brain regions revealed that the highest concentrations of ARc and ARn were in the POA and medial basal hypothalamus, and the lowest were in the cerebral cortex. The ARn content was significantly suppressed in POA and medial basal hypothalamus (P less than 0.05) from P-treated males compared to the control value. These data show that AR content is highest in areas thought to control behavior and gonadotropin release within the brain of the male guinea pig. In addition, the antiandrogenic actions of P on the central nervous system, which in this experiment were expressed as a significant decline in reproductive behavior, may be explained by its interference with the retention of the AR in the nucleus.

Amygdala↗
PubMed1996

Dopaminergic regulation of progesterone receptors: brain D5 dopamine receptors mediate induction of lordosis by D1-like agonists in rats.

To characterize the signaling pathway by which the neurotransmitter dopamine modulates progesterone receptor (PR) activation, the steroid-dependent behavior lordosis was used in estrogen-primed ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats with stereotaxic implanted third ventricle cannulas. Lordosis was observed in response to solicitous males in females after central administration of the D1-like agonist SKF38393 and three of its analogs (SKF77434, SKF75640, and SKF85174). In contrast, D1-like antagonist SCH23390 and D1-like/D2 repopulation inhibitor EEDQ blocked behavior inducible by the D1-like agonists. Further, antisense oligonucleotides to D5, but not D1, dopamine receptor mRNA suppressed reproductive behavior associated with D1-like stimulation. This finding provides strong evidence that dopaminergic modulation of lordosis is mediated by the novel D5 dopamine receptor. Although D1, but not D5, dopamine receptor mRNAs were detected in the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) by in situ hybridization, agonists microinjected into the VMN, but not into the arcuate nucleus or preoptic area, induced lordosis, suggesting the functional presence of D5 dopamine receptors in the VMN. Also in support, D5 receptor mRNA antisense microinjected into the VMN blocked the subsequent induction of lordosis by D1-like agonists. Finally, facilitation of sex behavior by D1-like agonists was blocked by the antiprogestin RU38486 and PR antisense oligonucleotide. Collectively, the data provide strong evidence for dopaminergic modulation of reproductive behavior through D5 dopamine receptor-mediated modulation of PR-dependent behavior in rat CNS.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Effects of apomorphine on sexual behavior in male quail.

In the rat, dopamine (DA) facilitates male copulatory behavior. Indirect evidence based largely on neuroanatomical data suggest that in quail DA is also implicated in the control of male reproductive behavior but there is no pharmacological evidence to support this conclusion. To test this idea, castrated testosterone (T)-treated male quail were injected with various doses of the dopaminergic agonist apomorphine (APO) in the range 1-10,000 micrograms/kg. The sexual behavior of birds was recorded starting 15 min after APO injection for a duration of 30 min. A dose-dependent inhibition of male reproductive behavior that lasted for the entire duration of the test was observed. In a second experiment, gonadectomized T-treated male Japanese quail were injected daily with APO (0, 10, or 1,000 micrograms/kg) during 8 days. Their sexual interactions with a partner were quantified either 24 h or 15 min after the last injection. No influence of the treatment on copulatory behavior was observed 24 h after the last injection, but a strong inhibition was present when the test was performed 15 min after. To research whether the inhibitory effects of APO were due to a preferential action on D2 presynaptic autoreceptors, male quail were pretreated with two different D2 antagonists (spiperone or pimozide; 0.5 or 2 mg/kg) before being injected with APO (100 micrograms or 1 mg/kg). Spiperone facilitated male sexual behavior but did not suppress the inhibitory effect of APO. No significant effect of pimozide was observed. These results support the notion that DA modulates male sexual activity in the Japanese quail. The specific role of the different dopaminergic receptor subtypes remains, however, to be elucidated.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Male adolescent sexual behavior, the forgotten partner: a review.

It is encouraging that after years of focusing attention on the female's ability and responsibility to manage her reproductive behavior, the male is finally beginning to receive notice and attention. Ironically, before the widespread use of the Pill and the IUD, men and male birth control methods played an important role in family planning. Even today, reliance on vasectomies, the condom and withdrawal account for 25% of the contraceptive use among couples and trend statistics point to an increased interest among selected populations in the use of barrier methods that require partner cooperation for effective use. Yet, most small scale and nationwide knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) studies focus on the female, particularly the teen-age female. With the exception of fragmentary survey data, pertinent information about male adolescent sexual activity is virtually nonexistent. The growing consensus among researchers and planners is that it is now crucial to research the forgotten partner--the adolescent male.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Attitudes toward reproduction in a nonpatient population.

OBJECTIVE: A basic question to be answered in an attempt to understand human reproductive behavior as it manifests itself in clinical practice is, why do people want to have children? STUDY DESIGN: A psychometric instrument for the assessment of reproductive attitudes was developed. A total of 746 men and women at 20, 30, and 40 years of age, who were randomly selected from a nonpatient population, answered. Data were analyzed by factor analysis. Reproductive profiles were constructed. RESULTS: The two most important factors in both sexes were "children as existential satisfaction" and "children as lack of freedom," indicating a basic conflict. The third most important factor in both sexes was "the importance of one's own parents as examples in parenthood," supporting earlier findings that reproductive conflicts are transmitted from one generation to another. Reproductive profiles were uniform in the different age groups. CONCLUSION: The element of ambivalence may be a clue to a deeper understanding of human reproductive behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Effects of the light-dark cycle and scheduled feeding on behavioral and reproductive rhythms of the cyprinodont fish, Medaka, Oryzias latipes.

Medaka were maintained on a 16:8 light-dark cycle and fed once daily on one of 5 different feeding schedules. The daily rhythm of agonistic behavior rapidly entrained to the scheduled feeding time and maintained this entrainment during a 3-day starvation period. In contrast the daily rhythms of egg laying and courtship stayed entrained to the L:D cycle regardless of the feeding schedule. Thus, temporal integration of this fish with its daily environment can involve multistimuli which concurrently and differentially entrain externally expressed circadian systems.

Agonistic Behavior↗
PubMed1980

Parity-specific and two-sex utility models of reproductive intentions.

This paper uses married couples' anticipated consequences of having a (another) child to predict their reproductive intentions. Parity-specific models identify different variables as predictors of reproductive behavior at different parities but do not yield interpretable patterns of difference by parity. Parity-specific models are not significantly stronger predictors of reproductive behavior. Generally, wife-only models are distinctly superior to husband-only models. Two-sex models are usually better predictors than one-sex models but not enough better to justify the additional cost.

Family Planning Services↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The reproductive characteristics of adolescents and young adults in Mexico City].

This article presents the preliminary findings of the Survey on Teenagers and Youth Reproductive Behavior in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City, which contains information on 1,010 teenagers and young adults from 10 to 25 years of age interviewed in 1987. The average age was 17 years; 51.7 per cent of those interviewed were male and 48.3 per cent were female. A total of 14.6 per cent were married, being the average age at marriage 19.2 years for males and 17.8 years for females. Menarche occurred at an average age of 12.4 years, and spermarche at 14. Of those interviewed, 32.7 per cent have had sexual intercourse at least once in their lives. The average age at which sexual activity had begun, in the case of males, was 16 years and for females, 17 years. Of this group, 33.8 per cent stated that they had used some form of contraception during the first sexual intercourse; the contraceptive methods used most often were rhythm and withdrawal. The main source of supply of other methods is the pharmacy, in 67 per cent. 18.4 per cent of women had been pregnant, and 20.4 per cent of men's partners had presented this same condition. The first pregnancy occurred at 17.8 years for women and 18.7 for men. Of those men and women with a pregnancy experience 66.1 per cent and 57.3 per cent, respectively, stated that their first pregnancy was an unplanned one. Also, first pregnancy was related to their first marriage in 48.1 per cent of women and 82.4 per cent of male. The data presented here will reinforce current knowledge and will enable us to obtain a profile of the reproductive behavior of teenagers and young adults in the metropolitan area of Mexico City.

Adolescent↗