Title: | Rapid steroid influences on visually guided sexual behavior in male goldfish |
Author(s): | Lord LD; Bond J; Thompson RR; |
Address: | "Neuroscience Program, Bowdoin College, Kanbar Hall, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA" |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.09.002 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1095-6867 (Electronic) 0018-506X (Print) 0018-506X (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The ability of steroid hormones to rapidly influence cell physiology through nongenomic mechanisms raises the possibility that these molecules may play a role in the dynamic regulation of social behavior, particularly in species in which social stimuli can rapidly influence circulating steroid levels. We therefore tested if testosterone (T), which increases in male goldfish in response to sexual stimuli, can rapidly influence approach responses towards females. Injections of T stimulated approach responses towards the visual cues of females 30-45 min after the injection but did not stimulate approach responses towards stimulus males or affect general activity, indicating that the effect is stimulus-specific and not a secondary consequence of increased arousal. Estradiol produced the same effect 30-45 min and even 10-25 min after administration, and treatment with the aromatase inhibitor fadrozole blocked exogenous T's behavioral effect, indicating that T's rapid stimulation of visual approach responses depends on aromatization. We suggest that T surges induced by sexual stimuli, including preovulatory pheromones, rapidly prime males to mate by increasing sensitivity within visual pathways that guide approach responses towards females and/or by increasing the motivation to approach potential mates through actions within traditional limbic circuits" |
Keywords: | "Analysis of Variance Animals Appetitive Behavior/physiology Discrimination, Psychological/*physiology Estradiol/physiology Female Goldfish/*physiology Male Motor Activity/physiology Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology Social Behavior Testosterone/*metabol;Neuroscience;" |
Notes: | "MedlineLord, Louis-David Bond, Julia Thompson, Richmond R eng P20 GM103423/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ P20 RR016463/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/ Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. 2009/09/16 Horm Behav. 2009 Nov; 56(5):519-26. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.09.002. Epub 2009 Sep 12" |