Ontogeny of biogenic amine systems and modification of indole levels upon adult sexual behavior in the rat.

Male, female and androgenized female rats treated on Days 9, 10 and 11 after birth with either 5-HTP or saline were tested for female sexual behavior in adulthood. It was hypothesized that such pharmacological manipulations of the developing serotonergic system in which Day 12 sex differences have been reported might have an influence on the expression of lordosis behavior. No effect of 5-HTP was found in either normal or androgenized females, even though fluormetric analysis indicated a marked increase in endogenous levels of 5-HT at Day 12. However, males treated with 5-HTP has significantly higher 5-HT levels than 5-HT treated control or androgenized females. In addition, flurometric analysis of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin from hypothalamus, mesencephalon and cortex was performed on male and female rats on Day 8, 10, 12 and 14 postnatally to examine the development of various transmitter systems during the early postnatal period.