Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation
 

Courtship-induced changes in female sexual receptivity : a neuroendocrine study in an amphibian

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  • This thesis describes studies that investigated 1) the effects of courtship on the neuroendocrine system of female rough-skinned newts, Taricha granulosa, and 2) whether the observed courtship-induced neuroendocrine changes affected female sexual receptivity. Sexual behaviors of female T. granulosa changed dramatically during courtship. Initially, females exhibited unreceptive behaviors to a courting male. After several hours of courtship, females displayed receptive behaviors, and males responded by attempting to transfer a sperm cap. Once courtship, insemination and post-insemination behaviors were complete, the female no longer became receptive to future courtship. Both telencephalic irLHRH and plasma estradiol concentrations changed as females became receptive. Early in courtship, when females were unreceptive, irLHRH concentrations in the telencephalon were elevated, but by the time females became receptive irLHRH concentrations were low. The change in telencephalic irLHRH concentration occurred in the nervus terminalis, a little understood cranial nerve that may influence reproduction. Plasma estradiol levels were low at courtship initiation, but were elevated by the time females became receptive. The observations, that irLHRH and estradiol concentrations were associated with changes in female sexual behaviors and that these hormones influence female sexual receptivity in other vertebrates, suggested that courtship by a male activates female sexual behavior by stimulating endogenous changes in LHRH and estradiol. Increasing or decreasing plasma estradiol concentrations or blocking the action of this steroid in the brain were found to have no effect on female receptivity. Also, injecting LHRH or LHRH analogs into brain was found to have no effect on female receptivity. Progesterone implantation inhibited receptivity suggesting that this steroid may be responsible for the post-insemination decrease in female sexual behavior. These results suggest that although courtship induces physiological changes in female T. granulosa, the changes in LHRH and estradiol may not be influencing receptivity.
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