Simultaneous Display of Sexual and Ingestive Behaviour by Rats

Intraoral infusion of sucrose activates consummatory ingestive behaviour in rats selectively, i.e. the rat only emits the responses used to ingest food. Activation of consummatory ingestive behaviour in this way had no effect on the subsequent display of sexual behaviour by male or female rats and vice versa. Rats infused intraorally with sucrose and presented with a sexual partner showed ingestive and sexual behaviour simultaneously. Pretreatment with cholecystokinin octapeptide inhibited the ingestion of sucrose in both males and females but had no effect on the simultaneous display of sexual behaviour. Ingestion of sucrose from a drinking spout, a test in which the rat has to emit responses to obtain food, i.e. show appetitive ingestive behaviour, was inhibited by the presentation of a sexual partner in rats of both sexes. These results show that the mechanisms controlling consummatory sexual and ingestive behaviour operate independently and that the presentation of a sexual partner inhibits appetitive ingestive behaviour.

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