Fig. 1

A. Lordosis posture in a female rat in estrus, immediately after the individual was dismounted; B. Projections from the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) or the medial preoptic area (POA). Arrows depict sites of estrogen induced excitation (B, in red) or inhibition (C, in blue). Other CG midbrain central gray, VTA ventral tegmental area. Reference number for each connection is in parentheses