Effects of chronic lesions in mesencephalic raphe nuclei on induction of pseudopregnancy

The role of mesencephalic raphe nuclei in the induction of pseudopregnancy was investigated in female rats. The dorsal or median raphe nucleus lesions (DRL or MRL, respectively) were made by means of a radiofrequency lesion generator. Two or 3 weeks after the operation, in order to induce pseudopregnancy, the vagina was stimulated electrically on the day of proestrus or 1 mg/kg b.w. reserpine was injected on the day of diestrus I. Traumatization by passing thread to one uterine horn was performed to induce deciduoma 5 days after vaginal stimulation or 3 days after reserpine injection. As the results, decidual response was seen in most control and sham females in both vaginal stimulation and reserpine-treated groups. In contrast, incidences of deciduoma in DRL females with vaginal stimulation or reserpine-injection were significantly lower than those in control and sham groups. In the MRL females with either vaginal stimulation or reserpine-treatment, incidences of deciduoma were comparable to those of the control and sham operated groups. These results suggest that the dorsal raphe nucleus plays an important role in pseudopregnancy-inducing mechanisms in female rats.