Brain, Behavior and Evolution

Original Paper

Effects of Lesions of Nucleus taeniae on Appetitive and Consummatory Aspects of Male Sexual Behavior in Japanese Quail

Absil P.a,b · Braquenier J.B.a · Balthazart J.a · Ball G.F.c

Author affiliations

aUniversity of Liège, Center for Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Research Group in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Liège, bUniversity of Antwerp, U.I.A., Department of Biology, Ethology Research Group, Wilrijk, Belgium, cThe Johns Hopkins University, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Baltimore, Md., USA

Keywords: BirdsQuailArchistriatumSexual behaviorAmygdalaCoturnix japonica

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Brain Behav Evol 2002;60:13–35
https://doi.org/10.1159/000064119

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Article / Publication Details

First-Page Preview
Abstract of Original Paper

Received: January 04, 2002
Accepted: April 01, 2002
Published online: September 11, 2002
Issue release date: 2002

Number of Print Pages: 23
Number of Figures: 11
Number of Tables: 0

ISSN: 0006-8977 (Print)
eISSN: 1421-9743 (Online)

For additional information: https://www.karger.com/BBE

Abstract

Neurochemical, hodological and functional criteria suggest that the nucleus taeniae and parts of the adjacent archistriatum represent the avian homologue of parts of the mammalian amygdaloid complex. It has been proposed in particular that the nucleus taeniae is the homologue of the mammalian medial amygdala. In male quail, relatively large lesions to the posterior/medial archistriatum selectively decrease the expression of appetitive sexual behavior in a manner reminiscent of similar manipulations involving the medial amygdala in mammals. We investigated the effects of discrete lesions restricted to nucleus taeniae and of lesions to an adjacent part of the archistriatum (pars intermedium ventralis, AIv) on the expression of appetitive (ASB) and consummatory (CSB) aspects of male sexual behavior. ASB was measured by a learned social proximity response (after copulation a male quail stands in front of a window providing visual access to a female) and by the frequency of rhythmic cloacal sphincter movements. CSB was assessed by the frequency of mount attempts (MA) and cloacal contact movements (CCM). Lesions confined to nucleus taeniae and to AIv did not influence the acquisition or the maintenance of the two responses indicative of ASB. In contrast, lesions of nucleus taeniae significantly increased the occurrence frequencies of MA and CCM when administered before the beginning of behavior testing and increased the frequency of MA only when performed on sexually experienced subjects. No effect of AIv lesions could be detected. The discrepancy between these results and previous experiments in quail might reflect procedural differences, but more probably differences in locations of the lesions that were restricted in the current study to the anterior part of taeniae. Those in the Thompson study were in the posterior part of this nucleus. These findings indicate that there is a larger degree of functional heterogeneity in the nucleus taeniae than previously thought. The effects of taeniae lesions suggest that this nucleus, similar to the medial amygdala in mammals, might be implicated in the control of sexual satiety.

© 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel



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Article / Publication Details

First-Page Preview
Abstract of Original Paper

Received: January 04, 2002
Accepted: April 01, 2002
Published online: September 11, 2002
Issue release date: 2002

Number of Print Pages: 23
Number of Figures: 11
Number of Tables: 0

ISSN: 0006-8977 (Print)
eISSN: 1421-9743 (Online)

For additional information: https://www.karger.com/BBE

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