[Effect of neonatal castration on the capacity of the cerebral neurons in the septal complex of male rats to bind sex steroids].

The influence of neonatal castration on neuron capacity to bind septal dorsal, lateral and medial nuclei, Brock's diagonal fold nucleus and terminal streak bed nucleus of radiolabeled sex steroids (3H-testosterone and 3H-estradiol) was studied. Neonatal castration performed on the 1st day of male postnatal life raised the capacity of brain septal complex neurons to uptake sex steroids, mainly 3H-testosterone. The strategic position of the septal complex in the brain and the presence of neurons taking up actively sex steroids indicated an important role of this structure of the limbic system of the brain in the formation of neural mechanisms in the regulation of sex functions in male rats.