Pheromones induce c-fos in limbic areas regulating male hamster mating behavior

Hamsters rely on chemosensory cues from females of the same species for the initiation of copulatory behavior. While these cues are detected by both the main and accessory olfactory systems it is the central nuclei in the accessory system that regulate mating behavior. The results of the present study indicate that exposure to vaginal secretions from a female Syrian hamster (FHVS) stimulates c-fos production in the medial nucleus of the amygdala (Me), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and the medial preoptic area (MPOA). Exposure to vaginal secretions from Djungarian hamsters do not stimulate neurons in these areas. Thus the present results suggest that FHVS stimulates mating behavior by activating neurons within the vomeronasal pathway.