Pg. Mermelstein et Jb. Becker, INCREASED EXTRACELLULAR DOPAMINE IN THE NUCLEUS-ACCUMBENS AND STRIATUM OF THE FEMALE RAT DURING PACED COPULATORY-BEHAVIOR, Behavioral neuroscience, 109(2), 1995, pp. 354-365
Five groups of ovariectomized rats were tested during in vivo microdia
lysis, and concentrations of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites were de
termined in dialysate. in striatum, DA increased more in hormone-prime
d ovariectomized female rats pacing copulation than in those engaging
in sex that could not pace, those that were hormone primed but tested
without a male present, or oil-treated groups (p < .02). Administratio
n of estrogen before microdialysis resulted in enhanced striatal DA in
response to a male rat relative to the animals tested without a male
(p < .06). Female rats that were pacing sexual behavior also exhibited
a greater increase in accumbens DA than did the no-male, estrogen-pri
med, or oil-treated groups (p < .015). Nonpacing animals displayed a s
ignificant decrease in DA from accumbens 30 min after introduction of
the male rat (p < .05) but otherwise were not different from pacing an
imals. Estrogen-treated animals also had an enhanced increase in accum
bens DA compared with oil-treated rats (p < .05). These data suggest t
hat DA release in the striatum and accumbens is dependent on the conte
xt in which sexual behavior occurs and that estrogen may in part modul
ate these dopaminergic responses.