EFFECTS OF LIMBIC LESIONS ON COPULATORY BEHAVIOR OF MALE RATS

IN EXP. I, 34 LONG-EVANS MALE RATS OBSERVED IN PREOPERATIVE COPULATORY BEHAVIOR TESTS WERE DIVIDED INTO 4 SURGICAL GROUPS: DORSAL HIPPOCAMPUS, VENTRAL HIPPOCAMPUS, AMYGDALA, AND SHAM OPERATE. POSTOPERATIVELY, SS WERE TESTED FOR NORMAL AND ABERRANT COPULATORY BEHAVIOR AND OPEN-FIELD BEHAVIOR. DORSAL HIPPOCAMPAL LESIONS PRODUCED DECREASES IN INTERCOPULATORY AND POSTEJACULATORY INTERVALS, WHILE VENTRAL HIPPOCAMPAL LESIONS HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON COPULATORY BEHAVIOR. AMYGDALOID LESIONS PRODUCED LARGE TRANSIENT DECREASES IN RATES OF NORMAL COPULATORY RESPONDING, BUT NO SEXUAL ABERRATION. IN EXP. II, 8 SS WITH EXTENSIVE LESIONS OF BOTH DORSAL AND VENTRAL HIPPOCAMPUS DEMONSTRATED NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN COPULATORY BEHAVIOR. EXP. III CONFIRMED AND EXTENDED FINDINGS FOR DORSAL HIPPOCAMPAL LESIONS FOUND IN EXP. I. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1968 American Psychological Association.