HOMOSEXUALITY IN FEMALE RATS FOLLOWING TESTOSTERONE IMPLANTATION IN THE ANTERIOR HYPOTHALAMUS

Abstract

Recently an experimental model of androgen-induced male homosexuality was produced. Castration of male rats within 24 hr of birth causes the development of a `female organization' of the hypothalamus. Doses of testosterone in the adults then activate the feminized hypothalamus of these animals. Male homosexuality, i.e. predominantly female sexual behaviour induced by androgen in genotypic and phenotypic males occurs (Dörner, 1967). Although the homosexual behaviour was completely elicited in these animals, elements of heterosexual behaviour persisted (Dörner, Hinz, Seidler & Fatschel, 1968). This partial dissociation in the organization of male and female mating behaviour suggested that separate neural areas may be responsible for the two patterns of behaviour, consistent with the observations of Goy & Phoenix (1963) where hypothalamic lesions in female guinea-pigs affected mounting activity and lordosis, independently. To test this