| First Author | Sinchak K | Year | 2005 |
| Journal | Neuroreport | Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 15 | Pages | 1697-700 |
| PubMed ID | 16189480 | Mgi Jnum | J:103646 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3610575 | Doi | 10.1097/01.wnr.0000181585.49130.93 |
| Citation | Sinchak K, et al. (2005) Sexual receptivity is reduced in the female mu-opioid receptor knockout mouse. Neuroreport 16(15):1697-700 |
| abstractText | Activation of mu-opioid receptors is critical to steroid regulation of female sexual behavior, lordosis, in rodents. Estrogen treatment activates mu-opioid receptors in the medial preoptic area inhibiting lordosis, but ultimately appears important for progesterone facilitation of lordosis. We investigated the role of mu-opioid receptors in the expression of sexual receptivity in mice lacking mu-opioid receptors. Although estrogen and progesterone facilitated lordosis in mu-opioid receptor knockout mice, they exhibited deficits in lordosis quotient and score compared with wild-type females, indicating reduced sexual receptivity. In contrast, wild-type and mu-opioid receptor knockout female mice did not differ in either active or passive avoidance of the male. These data are most consistent with the hypothesis that mu-opioid receptor activation is necessary for estrogen and progesterone to maximally facilitate lordosis. |
