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Induction of Pseudopregnancy in Rats by p-Chlorophenylalanine

Nature volume 231, pages 125–126 (1971)Cite this article

Abstract

P-CHLOROPHENYLALANINE (PCPA), a depletor of brain serotonin1, has been reported to affect various categories of behaviour, including several patterns of explicitly conditioned responses2–6, as well as “spontaneous” activities, such as locomotion7 and social interaction8, and particularly sexual behaviour. Tagliamonte et al.9 demonstrated that PCPA increased homosexual activity in male rats, and while confirming this10, they showed that the effect was potentiated by testosterone. Sheard11 reported that heterosexual behaviour of rats was stimulated by PCPA, but Whalen and Luttge12 could not confirm this result. In ovariectomized rats, PCPA was found to be a substitute for progesterone in the restoration of oestrous behaviour13. In male cats, PCPA was reported14 to promote homosexual activity; but this report has been challenged15.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, 222 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, 01545

    J. DAVID KIEFFER & M. J. K. HARPER

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  1. J. DAVID KIEFFER
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  2. M. J. K. HARPER
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KIEFFER, J., HARPER, M. Induction of Pseudopregnancy in Rats by p-Chlorophenylalanine. Nature 231, 125–126 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/231125a0

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