| Abstract: | ![]()
Examined the sexual behavior of 47 female Long-Evans rats with bilateral lesions in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) and 27 Long-Evans sham-operated Ss (controls) in 2 testing conditions. In the 1st condition, in which the S could not leave the vicinity of males (no-exit test), lordosis quotients (LQs) were elevated in relation to baseline levels for MPOA Ss. In the 2nd condition, in which the female could control her proximity to males (exit test), MPOA LQs were not different from control levels, and experimental Ss permitted fewer copulatory contacts, exhibited less frequent solicitational behavior, and spent less time with males than the controls did. These findings suggest that the higher LQs seen in no-exit tests as a result of MPOA damage are not due to a lesion-induced potentiation in the Ss' preference to engage in sexual contacts with males. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
