Dr. Elaine Hull Indiana University, 1967 Office 318 Psychology Phone Number (850) 645-2389 Email

Systems and Behavioral Neuroscience Course

Brain and Behavior Course

Research Interest

Our research program investigates the neuroendocrine control of male rat sexual behavior. We have shown that dopamine is released in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) as soon as a male rat encounters a receptive female; release is further increased during copulation. Stimulation of dopamine receptors in the MPOA controls genital reflexes and sexual motivation. This brain area is essential for male sexual behavior in all vertebrate species that have been studied, from fish through humans. Testosterone promotes both basal and female-elicited dopamine release in the MPOA, in part, by up-regulating nitric oxide synthase. We have also shown that serotonin is released in the anterior lateral hypothalamus at the time of ejaculation and contributes to the postejaculatory sexual quiescence, in part by decreasing mesolimbic dopamine release.

Selected Publications

Dominguez, J.M, Muschamp, J.W., Schmich, J.M., & Hull, E.M. (2004) Glutamate-evoked release in the medial preoptic area is mediated by nitric oxide: Implications for male rat sexual behavior. Neuroscience, 125:203-210.

Putnam, S.K., Sato, S., & Hull, E.M. (2003) Hormonal maintenance of copulation in castrates: Association with extracellular dopamine in MPOA. Hormones and Behavior, 44:419-426.

Powell, W., Dominguez, J.M., & Hull, E.M. (2003) An NMDA antagonist blocks the experience-induced enhancement of male sexual behavior. Behavioral Neuroscience, 117:69-75.

Dominguez, J., Riolo, J.V., Xu, Z. & Hull, E.M. (2001) Regulation by the medial amygdala of copulation and medial preoptic dopamine release. Journal of Neuroscience, 21:349-355.

Matuszewich, L., Lorrain, D. S., & Hull, E. M. (2000) Dopamine alterations in the medial preoptic area of female rats in response to hormonal manipulation and sexual activity. Behavioral Neuroscience, 114:772-782.

Lorrain, D.S., Matuszewich, L., Riolo, J. V., & Hull, E. M. (1999) Lateral hypothalamic serotonin inhibits nucleus accumbens dopamine: Implications for sexual satiety. Journal of Neuroscience, 19:7648-7652.

Du, J. & Hull, E. M. (1999) Effects of testosterone on neuronal nitric oxide synthase and tyrosine hydroxylase. Brain Research, 836:90-98.

Lumley, L.A. & Hull, E. M. (1999) Effects of a D1 antagonist and of sexual experience on copulation-induced FOS-like immunoreactivity in the medial preoptic nucleus. Brain Research, 829:55-68.

Lorrain, D. S., Matuszewich, L., Friedman, R., & Hull, E. M. (1997). Extracellular serotonin in the lateral hypothalamic area is increased during the postejaculatory interval and impairs copulation in male rats. Journal of Neuroscience, 17: 9361-9366.

Lorrain, D.S., Matuszewich, L., Howard, R.V., Du, J., & Hull, E.M. (1996) Nitric oxide promotes medial preoptic dopamine release during male rat copulation. NeuroReport, 8:31-34.

Hull, E.M., Du, J., Lorrain, D.S., & Matuszewich, L. (1995) Extracellular dopamine in the medial preoptic area: Implications for sexual motivation and hormonal control of copulation. Journal of Neuroscience, 15:7465-7471.

Hull, E. M., Eaton, R. C., Markowski, V. P., Moses, J., Lumley, L. A., & Loucks, J. A. (1992) Opposite influence of D1 and D2 receptors in the medial preoptic area on genital reflexes: Implications for copulation. Life Sciences, 51:1705-1713.

Hull, E. M., Warner, R. K., Bazzett, T. J., Eaton, R. C., Thompson, J. T., & Scaletta, L. L. (1989). D2/D1 ratio in the medial preoptic area affects copulation of male rats. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 251:422-427.

Hull, E. M., Nishita, J. K., Bitran, D., & Dalterio, S. (1984). Perinatal dopamine-related drugs demasculinize rats. Science, 224:1011-1013.

Selected Review Articles:

Hull, E.M., Muschamp, J. W., & Sato, S. (2004) Dopamine and serotonin: Influences on male sexual behavior. Physiology & Behavior, 83:291-308.

Hull, E. M., Lorrain, D. S., Du, J., Matuszewich, L., Lumley, L. A., Putnam, S. K., & Moses, J. (1999) Hormone-Neurotransmitter interactions in the control of sexual behavior. Behavioral Brain Research, 105:105-116.

Hull, E. M., Du, J., Lorrain, D. S., Matuszewich, L. (1997). Testosterone, preoptic dopamine, and copulation in male rats. Brain Research Bulletin, 44:327-333.

Hull, E. M., Matuszewich, L., Lumley, L.A., Dominguez, J., Moses, J., & Lorrain, D.S. (1994) The roles of nitric oxide in sexual function of male rats. Neuropharmacology, 33:1499-1504.

Bitran, D., & Hull, E. M. (1987). Pharmacological analysis of male rat sexual behavior. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 11:365-389.

For a more complete list of publications and other information, please see CV.