Coolen L M, Peters H J, Veening J G
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Neuroscience. 1997 Apr;77(4):1151-61. doi: 10.1016/s0306-4522(96)00542-8.
In the present study a detailed quantitative analysis was made using Fos as a marker for neural activation to define which subregions in the neural circuitry underlying male sexual behavior are involved in display of anogenital investigation versus copulation. Neural activity was differentially distributed following anogenital investigation versus mating and was restricted to specific subdivisions that form a heavily interconnected network. Chemosensory investigation increased neural activity in the posteromedial subdivision of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the posterodorsal subdivision of the medial amygdala, brain regions that receive chemosensory signals processed through the olfactory bulbs, presumably reflecting the acquisition of chemosensory signals or the display of anogenital investigation. However, other sensory signals or sexual experience may also have contributed to the induction of neural activation in these brain areas. Moreover, consummatory behavior increased neural activity in the subparafascicular nucleus, a brain region that receives genital sensory inputs. In turn, this brain region projects to the medial preoptic nucleus and posterior nucleus of the amygdala, where neural activity was also abundant only following copulation. In addition, clusters of neurons were activated in the posteromedial subdivision of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and posterodorsal subdivision of the medial amygdala following consummatory behavior. The present study provides an anatomically detailed picture about the distribution of neural activation following sexual behavior in the rat, specifically in relation to differences following anogenital investigation versus mating.
在本研究中，使用Fos作为神经激活的标志物进行了详细的定量分析，以确定雄性性行为潜在神经回路中的哪些亚区域参与肛门生殖器探究与交配行为的表现。肛门生殖器探究与交配后，神经活动的分布存在差异，且局限于形成高度互联网络的特定细分区域。化学感觉探究增加了终纹床核后内侧细分区域和内侧杏仁核后背部细分区域的神经活动，这些脑区接收通过嗅球处理的化学感觉信号，大概反映了化学感觉信号的获取或肛门生殖器探究行为的表现。然而，其他感觉信号或性经验也可能促成了这些脑区神经激活的诱导。此外，性行为增加了束旁下核的神经活动，该脑区接收生殖器感觉输入。反过来，这个脑区投射到视前内侧核和杏仁核后核，在这些区域，神经活动也仅在交配后丰富起来。此外，性行为后，终纹床核后内侧细分区域和内侧杏仁核后背部细分区域的神经元集群被激活。本研究提供了关于大鼠性行为后神经激活分布的详细解剖学图像，特别是与肛门生殖器探究和交配后的差异有关。
