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Updated: Jul 29, 2026
Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Quantification of Social Behavior in Adult Rats
Published on: December 14, 2014
Rats bred for high versus low anxiety responses neonatally demonstrate increases in lordosis, pacing behavior, and
C A Frye1, K Sumida, B Zimmerberg
1Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA. cafrye@albany.edu
Abstract:
Duration and intensity of lordosis is mediated by actions of the progesterone (P) metabolite, 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one (3 alpha,5 alpha-THP) at GABA-sub(A) receptors in the midbrain ventral tegmental area. Because rats selectively bred for infantile vocalizations may differ in endogenous 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP secretion, their sexual behavior, midbrain, and plasma 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP levels as adult rats in behavioral estrus was examined. Rats bred for high rates of infantile vocalizations had shorter latencies and intervals between intromissions and ejaculation, higher lordosis quotients and ratings, more pacing of their sexual contacts, and had higher P and 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP levels in plasma and midbrain than did rats bred for low rats of infantile vocalizations. Thus, levels of 3 alpha,5 alpha-THP in the midbrain are associated with differences in sexual behavior of these rats.
