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Plasma prolactin concentrations and copulatory behavior after salsolinol injection in male rats

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Abstract

Purpose

The dopamine-derived endogenous compound, R-salsolinol (SAL), was recently identified as a putative endogenous prolactin (PRL)-releasing factor. However, how SAL influences copulatory behavior is unknown. In this study, we examined the relationship between SAL and copulatory behavior in male rats.

Methods

Male Sprague-Dawley rats administered SAL were exposed to female rats in estrus, the plasma PRL concentration was measured, and the behavioral frequency and time during copulatory behavior were noted.

Results

In the control and SAL groups, plasma PRL concentrations at 15 min before exposure to the female were 7.3 ± 2.0 and 8.0 ± 1.5 ng/ml, respectively. Moreover, plasma PRL concentrations in males immediately after exposure to the female were 7.4 ± 1.2 and 68.0 ± 5.9 ng/ml, respectively (P < 0.05). All (8/8) of the control animals ejaculated in the presence of the female, whereas only 33% (2/6) of the SAL group ejaculated. An increasing tendency for mount latency and intromission latency and a decreasing tendency for intromission frequency were observed in the SAL group.

Conclusions

Copulatory behavior was inhibited in male rats after SAL injection, suggesting that SAL is a copulatory behavior inhibiting factor.

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks Dr. G.M. Nagy, Neuroendocrine Research Laboratory, Department of Human Morphology, Hungarian Academy of Science and Semmelweis University, for inviting me to spend 6 months as a researcher in his laboratory. I also thank all the staff in his laboratory, Dr. V. Hricisák, and Dr. A. Horvath.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Laboratory Animal Science, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Misao Terada

  2. Neuroendocrine Research Laboratory, Department of Human Morphology, Hungarian Academy of Science and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

    Misao Terada, Mark Oláh & György M. Nagy

  3. Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan

    Kazumi Taniguchi

  4. Hidaka Training and Research Center, Japan Racing Association, Urakawa, Hokkaido, Japan

    Fumio Sato

  5. Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, 1-7-1 Kyonan-cho, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan

    Shiro Muranaka, Wirasak Fungfuang, Pudcharaporn Kromkhun, Tomoaki Nakada, Makoto Yokosuka & Toru R. Saito

  6. Department of Physiology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Pudcharaporn Kromkhun

Authors
  1. Misao Terada
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  2. Mark Oláh
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  3. György M. Nagy
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  4. Kazumi Taniguchi
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  5. Fumio Sato
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  6. Shiro Muranaka
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  7. Wirasak Fungfuang
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  8. Pudcharaporn Kromkhun
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  9. Tomoaki Nakada
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  10. Makoto Yokosuka
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  11. Toru R. Saito
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Toru R. Saito.

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Terada, M., Oláh, M., Nagy, G.M. et al. Plasma prolactin concentrations and copulatory behavior after salsolinol injection in male rats. Reprod Med Biol 9, 205–209 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-010-0060-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-010-0060-7

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