Within the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH), serotonin (5-HT) can both inhibit and facilitate female rat sexual receptivity. We have suggested that this dual regulation is important in allowing the female to coordinate her reproductive behavior with the external environment. Even if the female were optimally sexually receptive, under life-threatening conditions, mating would be an inappropriate behavioral choice for the female to make. However, should the threat be minimal, increased vulnerability to stress might unnecessarily reduce reproductive success. Our emphasis is on the interplay among 5-HT1A, 5-HT2C and 5-HT1B receptors. Our working model is that mild stress (5 min restraint) increases the release of 5-HT in the MBH. The increased extracellular 5-HT activates 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and, 5-HT2C receptors. Activation of 5-HT1A receptors leads to inhibition of lordosis behavior while activation of 5-HT2C receptors limits the duration of this inhibition and allows recovery to occur. Progesterone enhances the function of terminal 5-HT1B autoreceptors so that a smaller increase in extracellular 5-HT occurs in response to stress. As a result, the occupation of 5-HT1A receptors is insufficient for inhibition of lordosis behavior. The proposed experiments are designed to test each element of this proposed model. Although the proposed studies are focused on the role of 5-HT receptor subtypes in the control of lordosis behavior, they can provide valuable information about hormonal modulation of 5-HT function and how these hormones influence the female's response to an acute environmental challenge.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD028419-15
Application #
7572956
Study Section
Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior Study Section (NMB)
Program Officer
Lamar, Charisee A
Project Start
1991-08-01
Project End
2012-02-29
Budget Start
2009-03-01
Budget End
2010-02-28
Support Year
15
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$243,278
Indirect Cost
Name
Texas Woman's University
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
068979848
City
Denton
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
76201
Uphouse, Lynda; Hiegel, Cindy; Martinez, Giovanny et al. (2015) Repeated estradiol benzoate treatment protects against the lordosis-inhibitory effects of restraint and prevents effects of the antiprogestin, RU486. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 137:1-6
Uphouse, Lynda; Pinkston, Jonathan; Baade, Duane et al. (2015) Use of an operant paradigm for the study of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction. Behav Pharmacol 26:697-705
Uphouse, Lynda (2015) Dose-dependent effects of the antiprogestin, RU486, on sexual behavior of naturally cycling Fischer rats. Behav Brain Res 282:95-102
Uphouse, Lynda; Hiegel, Cindy (2014) Allopregnanolone's attenuation of the lordosis-inhibiting effects of restraint is blocked by the antiprogestin, CDB-4124. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 122:16-9
Uphouse, Lynda (2014) Pharmacology of serotonin and female sexual behavior. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 121:31-42
Uphouse, Lynda; Hiegel, Cindy; Adams, Sarah et al. (2014) Prior hormonal treatment, but not sexual experience, reduces the negative effects of restraint on female sexual behavior. Behav Brain Res 259:35-40
Uphouse, Lynda; Hiegel, Cindy (2013) An antiprogestin, CDB4124, blocks progesterone's attenuation of the negative effects of a mild stress on sexual behavior. Behav Brain Res 240:21-5
Miryala, Chandra Suma Johnson; Hiegel, Cindy; Uphouse, Lynda (2013) Comparison of female Fischer and Sprague-Dawley rats in the response to ketanserin. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 114-115:52-7
Uphouse, Lynda; Adams, Sarah; Miryala, Chandra Suma Johnson et al. (2013) RU486 blocks effects of allopregnanolone on the response to restraint stress. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 103:568-72
Miryala, Chandra Suma J; Hiegel, Cindy; Uphouse, Lynda (2013) Sprague-Dawley and Fischer female rats differ in acute effects of fluoxetine on sexual behavior. J Sex Med 10:350-61

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