Mating behavior is controlled by acute changes in metabolic fuels

• Published in: American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology Vol. 282; no. 3; pp. 782 - R790
• Main Authors: Temple, Jennifer L, Schneider, Jill E, Scott, Deanna K, Korutz, Alexander, Rissman, Emilie F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2002
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - anatomy & histology; Animal Feed; Animals; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Dietary Fats - pharmacology; Eating - physiology; Fatty Acids - metabolism; Female; Food Deprivation; Glucose - pharmacology; Glucose - physiology; Male; Organ Size - physiology; Oxidation-Reduction; Sexual Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology; Shrews - anatomy & histology; Shrews - physiology; Shrews - psychology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0363-6119; 1522-1490
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00383.2001

1  Program in Neuroscience and Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903; and 2  Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015 Mild food restriction for 48 h inhibits mating behavior in female musk shrews ( Suncus murinus ). However, mating behavior is restored after a 90-min feeding bout. In this series of experiments, we examined the role of metabolic fuels in this behavioral restoration. First, drugs reported to block glycolysis or fatty acid oxidation were given 2 h before mating. Both treatments inhibited mating in food-restricted females that were refed after treatment. Blood glucose levels were assessed in females that were fed ad libitum, food restricted, or food restricted and refed for 90 min. Food restriction significantly lowered blood glucose compared with ad libitum feeding or food restriction in combination with 90   min of refeeding. However, neither glucose nor fat alone could substitute for food and promote mating behavior in food-restricted females. In addition, analysis of ketone bodies and body composition in females demonstrated low or undetectable levels of these energy substrates. Our data suggest that musk shrews have relatively little stored energy. Therefore, female musk shrews rely on continuous food intake and monitor multiple cues acutely, including glucose availability and fatty acid oxidation. This ensures that mating does not occur when adequate energy is unavailable. nutrition; glucose; fatty acids; anorexia; emesis