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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1989; 94(4/05): 48-54
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1210879
Original

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Influence of a Dopamine Agonist (Lisuride) on Sex-Specific Behavioural Patterns in Rats. II. Long-Term Effects*)

Renate Tönjes, Franziska Götz, J. Maywald, G. Dörner
  • Institute of Experimental Endocrinology (Director: Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. G. Dörner), Humboldt University, Medical School (Charité), Berlin, GDR
*) Dedicated to Prof. Dr. sc. med. Dr. h. c. G. Dörner on occasion of his 60th birthday.
Further Information

Publication History

1988

Publication Date:
16 July 2009 (online)

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Summary

Intact female and neonatally castrated male rats were treated with the dopamine agonist/serotonin antagonist lisuride during the early postnatal differentiation period of the brain (Day 2-12) or during the peripuberal maturation period (Day 26-40). It was found that early postnatal as well as peripuberal activation of the dopaminergic system in females resulted in masculinized social play-fighting behaviour, and lisuride application as late as peripuberally resulted in permanent masculinization of sexual behaviour. Comparable trends were found after peripuberal and rogen administration. On the other hand, the demasculinized social play fighting as well as the sexual behaviour of neonatally castrated males, which is usually bisexual or even predominantly heterotypical, could be normalized - at least in part-by early postnatal or peripuberal lisuride administration. These findings confirm once more our previous reports that neurotransmitters can act directly as organizers of the brain. This holds true not only for the differentation period but also for the maturation period.

Key words

Lisuride - Long-term effects - Gonadotrophin secretion - Social play fighting - Sexual orientation

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