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J Neuroendocrinol

Title:		Pharmacological evidence that prolactin acts from late gestation to promote maternal behaviour in rabbits
Author(s):		Gonzalez-Mariscal G; Melo AI; Parlow AF; Beyer C; Rosenblatt JS;
Address:		"Centro de Investigacion en Reproduccion Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autonoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico. gglezm@prodigy.net.mx"
Journal Title:		J Neuroendocrinol
Year:		2000
Volume:		12
Issue:		10
Page Number:		983 - 992
DOI:		10.1046/j.1365-2826.2000.00544.x
ISSN/ISBN:		0953-8194 (Print) 0953-8194 (Linking)
Abstract:		"We investigated the role of prolactin and suckling stimulation in the expression of maternal behaviour of primiparous rabbits. Bromocriptine (1 mg/kg/day), given to intact mothers across postpartum days 1-5, decreased serum concentrations of prolactin to undetectable levels, reduced crouching, and increased time inside the nest. Failure of maternal nest-building, provoked by bromocriptine injections from pregnancy day 26 to parturition or to postpartum day 5, correlated with a stronger reduction in crouching and an increased time inside the nest, measures of disturbed maternal behaviour, on postpartum days 3 and 5. Preventing suckling by thelectomy did not prevent prolactin release but reduced crouching incidence and increased the time spent inside the nest on postpartum days 3 and 5. Bromocriptine, injected in thelectomized mothers across postpartum days 1-5, further reduced the incidence of crouching and increased the time spent inside the nest on postpartum days 3 and 5. We conclude that prolactin acting prepartum facilitates maternal behaviour initiation in rabbits and, together with pup stimulation, maintains this behaviour across lactation"
Keywords:		"Animals Bromocriptine/pharmacology Female Hormone Antagonists/pharmacology Labor, Obstetric/physiology Lactation/drug effects Maternal Behavior/drug effects/*physiology Motor Activity/drug effects Nesting Behavior/drug effects/physiology Nipples/physiolog;"
Notes:		"MedlineGonzalez-Mariscal, G Melo, A I Parlow, A F Beyer, C Rosenblatt, J S eng 2000/09/30 J Neuroendocrinol. 2000 Oct; 12(10):983-92. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2826.2000.00544.x"