Role of pelvic nerves in the postcopulatory abbreviation of behavioral estrus in female rats.

The role of the pelvic nerves in the postmating abbreviation of behavioral estrus in domestic female rats was investigated. Mating during a period of 40 min at the beginning of hormonally induced estrus in spayed female rats resulted in a rapid decrease in receptivity as measured hourly by the lordosis response. Moreover, the length of the receptive period was significantly shortened by mating at the start of the period. Bilateral pelvic nerve transection completely abolished these effects of mating. Continuous exposure to sexually active males throughout the period of receptivity resulted in a more pronounced decline in receptivity but again was without effect in pelvectomized females. Apparently genital stimuli mediated by the pelvic nerves are responsible for the postcopulatory decrease in receptive behavior in the female rat.