bioRxiv Science⌕ Search
Home/Archive/bioRxiv

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2020.05.29.122945

Female rat sexual behavior is unaffected by perinatal fluoxetine exposure

Hegstad, J.·Huijgens, P. T.·Houwing, D. J.·Olivier, J. D.·Heijkoop, R.·Snoeren, E.
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Serotonin plays an important role in adult female sexual behavior, however little is known about the influence of serotonin during early development on sexual functioning in adulthood. During early development, serotonin acts as neurotrophic factor, while it functions as a modulatory neurotransmitter in adulthood. The occurrence of serotonin release, could thus have different effects on behavioral outcomes, depending on the developmental period in which serotonin is released. Because serotonin is involved in the development of the HPG axis which is required for puberty establishment, serotonin could also alter expression patterns of for instance the estrogen receptor (ER). The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of increased serotonin levels during early development on adult female rat sexual behavior during the full behavioral estrus in a seminatural environment. To do so, rats were perinatally exposed with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine (10 mg/kg FLX) and sexual performance was tested during adulthood. All facets of female sexual behavior between the first and last lordosis (behavioral estrus), and within each copulation bout of the behavioral estrus were analyzed. Besides the length and onset of the behavioral estrus and the sexual behaviors patterns, other social and conflict behavior were also investigated. In addition, we studied the effects of perinatal FLX exposure on ER expression patterns in the medial preoptic nucleus, ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, medial amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the dorsal raphe nucleus. The results showed that perinatal fluoxetine exposure has no effect on adult female sexual behavior. The behavioral estrus of FLX-females had the same length and pattern as CTR-females. In addition, FLX- and CTR-females showed the same amount of paracopulatory behavior and lordosis, both during the full behavioral estrus and the "most active bout". Furthermore, no differences were found in the display of social and conflict behaviors, nor in ER expression patterns in the brain. We conclude that increases in serotonin levels during early development do not have long-term consequences for female sexual behavior in adulthood.

Source connections

Explore related subjects

animal behavior and cognitionPreprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Hegstad, J., Huijgens, P. T., Houwing, D. J., Olivier, J. D., Heijkoop, R., Snoeren, E.. 2020-05-31. Female rat sexual behavior is unaffected by perinatal fluoxetine exposure. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.29.122945

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Can a Tiny Brain Plan? Reconstructing a Predatory Detour inthe Jumping Spider Portia labiata

Planning is the process of evaluating alternative futures to predict outcomes and guide action. Evidence for this process exists in several vertebrates, but remains contested in in-vertebrates. Jumping spiders in the genus Portia show planning-like behavior in lab studies, but how this translates to the wild is unclear, where hunts of potentially lethal spider prey occur over durations of more than an hour in dense foliage. We present the first fully video-recorded wild hunt of any Portia species, with a 3D reconstruction of its forty-two minute long route to attack an orb-weaving spider. The reconstruction suggests P. labiata may have planned its approach, avoiding a route half as long but potentially more conspicuous to the prey's sensory systems.

animal behavior and cognition↗
bioRxiv2026

Assessing Enclosure Modifications to Enhance Accessibility for Zoo-Housed Meerkats (Suricata suricatta)

Scientific advancements have contributed to increased longevity of animals in zoos and aquariums, creating a growing need for environments that remain accessible to geriatric animals and animals with disabilities. However, few empirical studies have evaluated whether accessibility-focused enclosure modifications impact species-appropriate behavior. We evaluated the effects of accessibility modifications on a group of four adult zoo-housed meerkats (Suricata suricatta), including one individual with a forelimb amputation and one geriatric individual. Low-level logs and steps were added to the enclosure to provide intermediate heights and facilitate access to elevated areas. Following the introduction of these enclosure modifications, sentry behavior increased, with all individuals engaging in this behavior compared with only one individual during baseline. The meerkats also increased their overall use of low-elevated areas following modification, although individual responses varied. Posture differed between study phases, with meerkats more frequently adopting tri/quadrupedal postures following modification. Together, these findings suggest that relatively simple accessibility-focused modifications can expand opportunities for geriatric animals and animals with disabilities to engage in species-appropriate behavior. More broadly, this case study highlights the importance of empirically evaluating accessibility interventions and incorporating universal design principles into animal spaces to accommodate individuals with diverse physical abilities and promote positive animal welfare.

animal behavior and cognition↗
bioRxiv2026

Hide and seek in a rainforest canopy : when a fruit-eating carnivore (almost) met its top predator carnivore

Prey-predator interactions in the wild are spectacular. Common reported cases come from ground-dwelling animals, in open areas and by daylight. Here, we report, for the first time, a sequence with the nocturnal arboreal kinkajou (Potos flavus), being followed ca. 20 minutes apart by one of its predators, the puma (Puma concolor), 33 m aboveground in a rainforest in French Guiana.

animal behavior and cognition↗