GABA and glutamate in mating-activated cells in the preoptic area and medial amygdala of male gerbils

摘要: The posterodorsal medial amygdala (MeApd), the preoptic nucleus (PdPN), and cell group of sexually dimorphic area (mSDA) contain cells that are activated specifically at ejaculation as assessed by Fos expression. mSDA also expresses early in mating context. Because little is known about neurotransmitters these cells, possibility they use γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or glutamate was assessed. Putative glutamatergic were visualized with immunocytochemistry (ICC) for its neuron-specific transporter. Their distributions compared those GABAergic ICC 67-kDa form glutamic decarboxylase (GAD67) situ hybridization GAD67 messenger RNA (mRNA). Colocalization mRNA recently mated males indicated half PdPN, mSDA, lateral MeApd GABAergic. suggested a quarter glutamatergic. PdPN does not appear to have cells. In MeApd, percentage (45%) matches project principal part bed stria terminalis (BST; 43%), likely be (27%) projecting (27%). latter could help trigger ejaculation. distribution putative caudal area, BST, male gerbils described. J. Comp. Neurol. 459:290–300, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.