Odour of male and female rats changes hypothalamic aromatase and 5 alpha-reductase activity and plasma sex steroid levels in unisexually reared male rats.

Male rats between 25--65 days of age were reared under four different social conditions: (1) In cohabitation with only males; (2) as in (1), but exposed to bedding from a cage containing other males; (3) as in (1), but exposed to bedding of females; (4) in cohabitation with both males and females. At 65 days of age the animals were killed and analyzed for plasma levels of testosterone and estradiol and in vitro studies were undertaken of hypothalamic testosterone metabolism. Males reared in absence of females showed lowered testosterone and estradiol plasma concentrations and increased hypothalamic aromatase and 5 alpha-reductase activity compared to heterosexually reared males. The effects of cohabitation with males only were counteracted by exposure to bedding of other males or of females suggesting an importance of odoriferous stimuli associated with sexually mature males and females during the sexual maturation of the male rat.