Serotonin plays an important role in adult female sexual behavior, however little is known about the influence of serotonin during early development on sexual functioning in adulthood. During early development, serotonin acts as neurotrophic factor, while it functions as a modulatory neurotransmitter in adulthood. The occurrence of serotonin release, could thus have different effects on behavioral outcomes, depending on the developmental period in which serotonin is released. Because serotonin is involved in the development of the HPG axis which is required for puberty establishment, serotonin could also alter expression patterns of for instance the estrogen receptor α (ERα). The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of increased serotonin levels during early development on adult female rat sexual behavior during the full behavioral estrus in a seminatural environment. To do so, rats were perinatally exposed with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine (10 mg/kg FLX) and sexual performance was tested during adulthood. All facets of female sexual behavior between the first and last lordosis (behavioral estrus), and within each copulation bout of the behavioral estrus were analyzed. Besides the length and onset of the behavioral estrus and the sexual behaviors patterns, other social and conflict behavior were also investigated. In addition, we studied the effects of perinatal FLX exposure on ERα expression patterns in the medial preoptic nucleus, ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, medial amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and the dorsal raphé nucleus. The results showed that perinatal fluoxetine exposure has no effect on adult female sexual behavior. The behavioral estrus of FLX-females had the same length and pattern as CTR-females. In addition, FLX- and CTR-females showed the same amount of paracopulatory behavior and lordosis, both during the full behavioral estrus and the 'most active bout'. Furthermore, no differences were found in the display of social and conflict behaviors, nor in ERα expression patterns in the brain. We conclude that increases in serotonin levels during early development do not have long-term consequences for female sexual behavior in adulthood.

中文翻译：

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母鼠的性行为不受围生期氟西汀暴露的影响

血清素在成年女性的性行为中起着重要的作用，然而，关于5-羟色胺在早期发育过程中对成年后性功能的影响知之甚少。在早期发育中，5-羟色胺充当神经营养因子，而在成年期则充当调节性神经递质。因此，取决于血清素释放的发育时期，血清素释放的发生可能会对行为结果产生不同的影响。由于5-羟色胺参与了青春期建立所需的HPG轴的发育，因此5-羟色胺还可以改变例如雌激素受体α（ERα）的表达模式。我们的研究目的是研究在半自然环境中，在整个行为发情期早期发育过程中增加血清素水平对成年雌性大鼠性行为的影响。为此，将围产期暴露于选择性5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂（SSRI）氟西汀（10 mg / kg FLX）的大鼠暴露，并在成年期进行性行为测试。分析了首个和最后一个脊柱前凸（行为发情）之间以及行为发情的每个交配回合中女性性行为的所有方面。除了行为发情的长度和发作以及性行为方式外，还研究了其他社会和冲突行为。此外，我们研究了围产期FLX暴露对视神经内侧前丘脑，下丘脑腹膜后内侧ERα表达模式的影响，杏仁核内侧，终末纹的床核和背侧睑裂核。结果表明，围产期氟西汀暴露对成年女性的性行为没有影响。FLX女性的行为发情与CTR女性相同。此外，在行为发情充分和“最活跃”期间，FLX和CTR女性均表现出相同数量的交配行为和前凸。此外，在社交和冲突行为的显示以及大脑中ERα的表达方式上均未发现差异。我们得出的结论是，在早期发育过程中血清素水平的升高不会对成年女性的性行为产生长期影响。结果表明，围产期氟西汀暴露对成年女性的性行为没有影响。FLX女性的行为发情与CTR女性相同。此外，在行为发情充分和“最活跃的发作”期间，FLX和CTR女性均表现出相同数量的交配行为和前凸。此外，在社交和冲突行为的显示以及大脑中ERα的表达方式上均未发现差异。我们得出的结论是，在早期发育过程中血清素水平的升高不会对成年女性的性行为产生长期影响。结果表明，围产期氟西汀暴露对成年女性的性行为没有影响。FLX女性的行为发情与CTR女性相同。此外，在行为发情充分和“最活跃的发作”期间，FLX和CTR女性均表现出相同数量的交配行为和前凸。此外，在社交和冲突行为的显示以及大脑中ERα的表达方式上均未发现差异。我们得出的结论是，在早期发育过程中血清素水平的升高不会对成年女性的性行为产生长期影响。在完全的行为发情期和“最活跃的回合”期间，FLX和CTR女性均表现出相同数量的交配行为和脊柱前凸。此外，在社交和冲突行为的显示以及大脑中ERα的表达方式上均未发现差异。我们得出的结论是，在早期发育过程中血清素水平的升高不会对成年女性的性行为产生长期影响。在完全的行为发情期和“最活跃的回合”期间，FLX和CTR女性均表现出相同数量的交配行为和脊柱前凸。此外，在社交和冲突行为的显示以及大脑中ERα的表达方式上均未发现差异。我们得出的结论是，在早期发育过程中血清素水平的升高不会对成年女性的性行为产生长期影响。