Neonatal Exposure to Bisphenol A Alters Female Rat Sexual Behavior

Byron's Comments:

Permanent alteration of sexual behavior cannot be a good thing for society.

Study Title:

Neonatal exposure to bisphenol A alters estrogen-dependent mechanisms governing sexual behavior in the adult female rat.

Study Abstract:

This study examines the effects of neonatal exposure to the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) on the hypothalamic circuitry controlling the female sexual behaviors of adult rats. From postnatal day 1 (PND1) to PND7, pups were injected with corn oil (control) or BPA (BPA20: 20mg/kg-d; BPA.05: 0.05 mg/kg-d) and at PND85 the rats were bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX). At PND100, OVX-rats received estradiol alone or estradiol and progesterone to evaluate estrogen-dependent gene expression in the hypothalamus and sexual behavior. In BPA-exposed females, estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) expression was down-regulated in both the medial preoptic (MPN) and ventromedial nucleus (VMHvl), while repressor of estrogen receptor activity (REA) expression was up-regulated in the VMHvl. Interestingly, BPA-exposed females displayed significantly lower levels of proceptive behavior. Our results show that BPA permanently alters the hypothalamic estrogen-dependent mechanisms that govern sexual behavior in the adult female rat.

Study Information:

Monje L, Varayoud J, Muñoz-de-Toro M, Luque EH, Ramos JG. Neonatal exposure to bisphenol A alters estrogen-dependent mechanisms governing sexual behavior in the adult female rat. Reprod Toxicol. 2009 December 28(4):435-42.
Laboratorio de Endocrinología y Tumores Hormonodependientes, School of Biochemistry and Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Casilla de Correo 242, (3000) Santa Fe, Argentina.

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