Lesions of the medial preoptic area interfere with the display of a conditioned place preference for vaginocervical stimulation in rats.

The present study examined the effect of ibotenic acid lesions of the medial preoptic area (mPOA) on the expression of a conditioned place preference (CPP) for vaginocervical stimulation. Rats with bilateral lesions of the mPOA failed to display the CPP for vaginocervical stimulation shown by rats with sham or incomplete lesions. These findings provide additional support for the role of the mPOA in the neural circuitry underlying the reinforcing effects of female sexual behavior and raise the possibility that the altered pattern of approach and withdrawal behavior observed following lesions of the mPOA may be attributable in part to a diminution of the reinforcing effects of vaginocervical stimulation.