Effects of hypothalamic lesions upon the sexual and social behaviour of the male common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus)

Abstract

The sexual and associated behaviour of 10 adult male marmosets was recorded during pair tests with ovariectomized females, before and after bilateral thermal lesions of the hypothalamus. Four sham-lesioned males served as controls. Lesions varied in volume from 1.49 to 3.28 mm 3 and extended from the ventromedial hypothalamus to the diagonal band of Broca. Precpulatory behaviours (anticipatory erections, tongue flicking and anogenital investigations of the female) as well as frequencies of mounting, intromission and ejaculation decreased in lesioned males. The greatest suppression of sexual behaviour occurred after lesioning the anterior hypothalamus (AH), beneath the anterior commissure, or at the junction of the AH with the preoptic area (POA). Lesions confined to the POA had less profound behavioural effects. Treating ovariectomized females with estradiol stimulated their proceptivity but had no consistent effects upon the male's behaviour. Lesioned males did not exhibit signs of social withdrawal and frequencies of allogrooming or grooming invitations increased post-operatively. Preliminary studies on intermale aggression indicated that lesions which had he greatest effect upon sexual behaviour also tended to decrease aggressive interaction with other males. Hypothalamic lesions did not affect plasma testosterone levels, except in one male and only one animal showed signs pf ill health (weight loss and hypothemia) post-operatively. These results show that damage to the AH or AH-POA junction in male marmosets causes a profound suppression of sexual ‘arousal’ and copulatory behavior and that such affects are not due to androgen insufficiency or other, non-specific, side effects of neural damage.