Bridges R S, DiBiase R, Loundes D D, Doherty P C
Science. 1985 Feb 15;227(4688):782-4. doi: 10.1126/science.3969568.
Inexperienced, hypophysectomized female rats treated with steroids were used in experiments to investigate the roles of the pituitary gland and prolactin in the expression of maternal behavior. Administration of ovine prolactin or treatment with ectopic pituitary grafts, which release prolactin into the circulation, stimulated maternal care in these females toward rat young. Steroid treatment alone, while stimulating maternal behavior in rats with intact pituitary glands, did not facilitate maternal responsiveness in hypophysectomized females. These findings indicate a stimulatory behavioral role for pituitary prolactin in the establishment of maternal care and suggest that exposure to prolactin during pregnancy helps to stimulate the immediate onset of maternal behavior at parturition.
在实验中使用了未成熟、垂体切除的雌性大鼠，这些大鼠接受了类固醇治疗，以研究垂体和催乳素在母性行为表达中的作用。给予绵羊催乳素或用异位垂体移植进行治疗（将催乳素释放到循环中），刺激了这些雌性大鼠对幼鼠的母性关怀。单独使用类固醇治疗，虽然能刺激垂体完整的大鼠的母性行为，但并不能促进垂体切除的雌性大鼠的母性反应。这些发现表明垂体催乳素在母性关怀的建立中具有刺激性行为作用，并表明孕期接触催乳素有助于刺激分娩时母性行为的立即出现。
