TY - CHAP
T1 - Interactions between dopamine and oxytocin in the control of sexual behavior
AU - Baskerville, Tracey A.
AU - Douglas, Alison J.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Dopamine and oxytocin are two key neuromodulators involved in reproductive behaviours, such as mating and maternal care. Much evidence underlies their separate roles in such behaviours, but particularly in sexual behaviour. It is generally believed that central dopaminergic and oxytocinergic systems work together to regulate the expression of penile erection, but relatively little is known regarding how they interact. Thus, this review aims to discuss neuroanatomical proof, neuromodulator secretory profiles in the hypothalamus and behavioural pharmacological evidence which support a dopamine–oxytocin link in three hypothalamic nuclei that have been implicated in sexual behaviour, namely the medial preoptic nucleus, supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus (PVN). We also aim to provide an overview of potential dopamine-mediated transduction pathways that occur within these nuclei and are correlated with the exhibition of penile erection. The PVN provides the most convincing evidence for a dopamine–oxytocin link and it is becoming increasingly apparent that parvocellular oxytocinergic neurons in the PVN, in part, mediate the effects of dopamine to elicit penile erection. However, while we show that oxytocin neurons express dopamine receptors, other evidence on whether dopaminergic activation of PVN oxytocin cells involves a direct and/or indirect mechanism is inconclusive and further evidence is required to establish whether the two systems interact synergistically or sequentially in the regulation of penile erection.
AB - Dopamine and oxytocin are two key neuromodulators involved in reproductive behaviours, such as mating and maternal care. Much evidence underlies their separate roles in such behaviours, but particularly in sexual behaviour. It is generally believed that central dopaminergic and oxytocinergic systems work together to regulate the expression of penile erection, but relatively little is known regarding how they interact. Thus, this review aims to discuss neuroanatomical proof, neuromodulator secretory profiles in the hypothalamus and behavioural pharmacological evidence which support a dopamine–oxytocin link in three hypothalamic nuclei that have been implicated in sexual behaviour, namely the medial preoptic nucleus, supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus (PVN). We also aim to provide an overview of potential dopamine-mediated transduction pathways that occur within these nuclei and are correlated with the exhibition of penile erection. The PVN provides the most convincing evidence for a dopamine–oxytocin link and it is becoming increasingly apparent that parvocellular oxytocinergic neurons in the PVN, in part, mediate the effects of dopamine to elicit penile erection. However, while we show that oxytocin neurons express dopamine receptors, other evidence on whether dopaminergic activation of PVN oxytocin cells involves a direct and/or indirect mechanism is inconclusive and further evidence is required to establish whether the two systems interact synergistically or sequentially in the regulation of penile erection.
KW - D2-like dopamine receptors
KW - medial preoptic nucleus
KW - oxytocin
KW - paraventricular nucleus
KW - sexual behaviour
KW - supraoptic nucleus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=47549108063&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0079-6123(08)00423-8
DO - 10.1016/S0079-6123(08)00423-8
M3 - Chapter
SN - 978-0-444-53201-5
VL - 170
T3 - Progress in Brain Research
SP - 277
EP - 290
BT - Advances in Vasopressin and Oxytocin — From Genes to Behaviour to Disease
A2 - Neumann, D. Inga
A2 - Landgraf, Rainer
PB - Elsevier
T2 - 7th World Congress on Neurohypophysial Hormones
Y2 - 18 September 2007 through 22 September 2007
ER -