Sexually dimorphic cell groups in the medial preoptic area that are essential for male sex behavior and the neural pathways needed for their effects.

The research summarized here shows that the two major cell groups of the sexually dimorphic area (SDA) of the gerbil hypothalamus are essential for male sex behavior. Bilateral cell-body lesions of either the medial or lateral SDA virtually eliminate mating in sexually experienced male gerbils given exogenous testosterone. Similar deficits occur when the SDA is bilaterally disconnected from the retrorubral field (RRF) as a result of unilateral cell-body lesions in the SDA and contralateral RRF. The A8 cells of the RRF do not account for this effect. Bilaterally disconnecting the SDA from the caudomedial part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (caudal BSTm) also eliminates sexual activity. Disconnecting the SDA from the medial amygdala does not mimic this effect. Neither does disconnecting the medial amygdala from the caudal BSTm. Thus, caudal BSTm neurons that are essential for mating via connections with the SDA do not simply relay information from the medial amygdala.