The interrelationship between gonadal steroids and POMC peptides beta-endorphin and alpha-MSH, in the control of sexual behaviour in the female rat.

MEDINA F; SIDDIQUI T; SCIMONELLI T; FENSKE C; WILSON CA; CELIS ME

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 1998 vol. 19 p. 1309 - 1309

stradiol benzoate (10ug EB) given to ovariectomized-adrenalectomized rats induced sexual receptivity in half the animals and increased a-MSH in the preoptic area, ventromedial nucleus (VMN) and arcuate nucleus (ARC), in all the animals, although levels were significantly higher in the VMN and ARC of the receptive (R) subgroup. EB also raised levels of b-endorphinin the VMN and ARC in the R rats only. POMC expression was not altered. EB did not affect aMSH in extra-hypothalamic areas, but addition of progesterone, raised levels in the septum, amygdala, hippocampus and caudate putamen. Only in the VMN, ARC and septum were the steroid-induced increases correlated with onset of sexual behavior.