Male hamster sociosexual behaviors: effects of testosterone and its metabolites

Physiol Behav. 1985 Oct;35(4):607-16. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(85)90149-0.

Abstract

Male hamsters were tested for copulatory behavior (CB) with receptive females, for investigatory responses to the females' ano-genital region (A/G), and for attraction to female hamster vaginal secretion (FHVS). After castration, the males received Silastic capsules containing one of two doses of testosterone (T), 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E2) or DHT + E2, and the maintenance of their copulatory and chemoinvestigatory responsiveness was assessed during weekly tests for the next month. The major findings were: (1) T thresholds for the maintenance of CB were lower than they were for the maintenance of A/G behavior and FHVS attraction; (2) DHT + E2 or DHT alone were more effective in maintaining A/G and FHVS attraction than was E2 alone; (3) DHT + E2 or DHT alone maintained ejaculatory behavior in some animals but E2 did not; (4) the posttreatment maintenance of normal ejaculation latencies and intromissions to ejaculation shown by intact and T-treated males was not demonstrated by males receiving DHT or DHT + E2. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that copulatory and chemoinvestigatory behaviors may be subserved by distinct neuroendocrine mechanisms in male hamsters.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Copulation / drug effects
  • Cricetinae
  • Dihydrotestosterone / pharmacology
  • Drug Interactions
  • Estradiol / pharmacology
  • Hypothalamus / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mesocricetus
  • Orchiectomy
  • Sexual Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
  • Testosterone / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Dihydrotestosterone
  • Testosterone
  • Estradiol