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Brain Res

Title:		The influence of chemosensory input and gonadotropin releasing hormone on mating behavior circuits in male hamsters
Author(s):		Westberry J; Meredith M;
Address:		"Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee 32306, USA. westberry@neuro.fsu.edu"
Journal Title:		Brain Res
Year:		2003
Volume:		974
Issue:		1-Feb
Page Number:		1 - 16
DOI:		10.1016/s0006-8993(03)02535-6
ISSN/ISBN:		0006-8993 (Print) 0006-8993 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Chemosensory input is important for mating behavior in male hamsters. Chemosignals found in female hamster vaginal fluid activate regions of the brain that receive input from the vomeronasal/accessory olfactory system and are important for mating behavior. Mating or exposure to these chemosignals produces increased Fos protein expression in the amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and medial preoptic area (MPOA). These brain regions contain cell bodies and/or fibers of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons, suggesting potential relationships between chemosensory systems and GnRH. GnRH is released naturally when male rodents (mice and hamsters) encounter female chemosignals, and intracerebrally injected GnRH restores mating behavior in sexually naive male hamsters after removal of the vomeronasal organs. We report here that the combination of pheromone exposure and intracerebrally-injected GnRH increases Fos expression in the MPOA above the increase seen in pheromone-exposed males, or in males given only the exogenous GnRH. In males with vomeronasal organs removed (VNX), there was an also an increment in Fos expression in the MPOA when these pheromone exposed males were injected with GnRH, provided they had previous sexual experience. Males with vomeronasal organs removed and without sexual experience showed increased Fos expression in the medial amygdala when pheromone exposure and GnRH injection were combined, but not in the medial preoptic area"
Keywords:		"Amygdala/metabolism/physiology Animals Chemoreceptor Cells/*physiology Cricetinae Female Gene Expression/drug effects/physiology Genes, fos/genetics Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/*pharmacology Injections, Intraventricular Male Mesocricetus Neural Pathway;neuroscience;"
Notes:		"MedlineWestberry, Jenne Meredith, Michael eng DC00906/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ T32DC00044/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Netherlands 2003/05/14 Brain Res. 2003 Jun 6; 974(1-2):1-16. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(03)02535-6"