The role of the medial nucleus of amygdala in the mating-induced enhancement of lordosis in female rats: the interaction with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone neuronal system
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Abstract
The effect of bilateral lesion of the medial nucleus of amygdala (mAMY) on the mating-induced
enhancement of lordosis behavior in ovariectomized (OVX) estrogen-primed rats was
investigated. The enhancement of lordosis following repeated coital stimulation was
significantly reduced in the mAMY-lesioned rats as compared with the sham-operated
controls. Double labeling immunocytochemistry of the brain of the repeatedly mated
females for Fos protein and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) revealed
that a significantly lower percentage of the LHRH neurons in the mAMY-lesioned females
exhibited Fos immunoreactivity than the controls. This suggests that bilateral destruction
of the mAMY suppresses the activation of the LHRH neuronal system following repeated
mating. Furthermore, the correlation between the number of Fos-positive LHRH neurons
and lordosis-to-mount ratio in the sham-females was significant, while a similar comparison
in mAMY-lesioned females was not significant. Since LHRH is reported to enhance lordosis
behavior in OVX estrogen-primed rats, it appears likely that the effects of mAMY on
lordosis are mediated through the LHRH neuronal system. The results further support
the involvement of the accessory olfactory system in the mating-induced enhancement
of lordosis behavior in female rats.