Fig. 2

A. Photomicrograph of a frontal section showing ibotenic acid lesion in the medial prcoptic area (POA), immunocytochemistry against glial fibrillary acidic protein. Arrows indicate damage by the injection needles. The lesion also caused enlarged third ventricle (V3). OC, optic chiasm. B. Ibotenic acid lesion of the POA enhanced the lordosis quotient (percent occurrence of lordosis per 10 mounts) in ovariectomized rats given 1.5 μg estradiol benzoate. Significantly fewer animals with the lesion showed solicitatory behavior; the rejection rate (percent interruption of copulatory interactions by females) was high in animals with the lesion. Open bars, control; shaded bars, lesioned. A and B; Reprinted from [46] with permission from Elsevier. C. Electrical stimulation of the POA caused slow-onset, long-lasting inhibition of lordosis score (LS, an arbitrary unit with maximal dorsiflexion set at 3) in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated rats. D. A scheme of the anterior roof cut of the POA by rotation of an L-shaped knife. The cut disrupted dorsal input to the POA at its junction to the lateral septum (LS), dorsal to the anterior commissure (AC). E. The anterior roof cut of the POA in frontal sections at levels a-a' and b–b′ in D. CG, midbrain central gray; VMH, ventromedial hypotalamic nucleus; VTA, ventral tegmental area. F. Electrical stimulation of the POA with parameters same as in C. Note short time course in both onset and recovery of the inhibition. G. Bilateral disruption of the stria medularis was as effective as the frontal roof cut to cause POA-bound prompt inhibition of lordosis. C–F; Reprinted from [56] with permission from Elsevier. H, Stimulation sites in the VTA; filled circles, suppression of lordosis at currents below 50 μA; filled triangles, above 50 μA; open circles minor or no effect. Numbers denote distance from interaural line. CP cerebral peduncle, IP interpeduncular nucleus, ML medial lemniscus, P pons, R red nucleus, SN substantia nigra, III oculomotor nerve. VTA Stimulation caused prompt suppression of lordosis I. Reprinted from [63] with permission from Elsevier