Dr. Elaine Hull

Associate Professor of Biology & Neuroscience

Research Interest

My 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 copulation, in part, by up-regulating nitric oxide synthase in the MPOA; the resultant production of nitric oxide increases both basal and female-stimulated dopamine release. 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. Recent research centers on the roles of dopamine and glutamate in the increase in sexual proficiency due to sexual experience. Similar mechanisms may underlie other forms of memory and drug addiction. Finally, we are interested in how the circuitry underlying sexual behavior is integrated with that subserving other motivated behaviors.

Publications

Muschamp JW, Hull EM. Melanin concentrating hormone and estrogen receptor-alpha are coexstensive but not coexpressed in cells of male rat hypothalamus. Neurosci Lett. 427(3):123-6. (2007)
Hull EM, Dominguez JM. Sexual behavior in male rodents. Horm Behav. 52(1):45-55. (2007)
Sato SM, Wersinger SR, Hull EM. The effects of nitric oxide-cGMP pathway stimulation on dopamine in the medial preoptic area and copulation in DHT-treated castrated male rats. Horm Behav. 52(2):177-82. (2007)
Muschamp JW, Dominguez JM, Sato SM, Shen RY, Hull EM. A role for hypocretin (orexin) in male sexual behavior. J Neurosci. 27(11):2837-45. (2007)
Dominguez JM, Brann JH, Gil M, Hull EM. Sexual experience increases nitric oxide synthase in the medial preoptic area of male rats. Behav Neurosci. 120(6):1389-94. (2006)
Hull EM, Dominguez JM. Getting his act together: roles of glutamate, nitric oxide, and dopamine in the medial preoptic area. Brain Res. 1126(1):66-75. (2006)
Sato SM, Hull EM. The nitric oxide-guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate pathway regulates dopamine efflux in the medial preoptic area and copulation in male rats. Neuroscience. 139(2):417-28. (2006)
Dominguez JM, Hull EM. Dopamine, the medial preoptic area, and male sexual behavior. Physiol Behav. 86(3):356-68. (2005)
Hull EM, Dumas HM, Crowley RA, Kharasch VS. Tracheostomy speaking valves for children: tolerance and clinical benefits. Pediatr Rehabil. 8(3):214-9. (2005)
Sato S, Braham CS, Putnam SK, Hull EM. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase and gonadal steroid interaction in the MPOA of male rats: co-localization and testosterone-induced restoration of copulation and nNOS-immunoreactivity. Brain Res. 1043(1-2):205-13. (2005)
Putnam SK, Sato S, Riolo JV, Hull EM. Effects of testosterone metabolites on copulation, medial preoptic dopamine, and NOS-immunoreactivity in castrated male rats. Horm Behav. 47(5):513-22. (2005)
Meston CM, Levin RJ, Sipski ML, Hull EM, Heiman JR. Women's orgasm. Annu Rev Sex Res. 15:173-257. (2004)
Lagoda G, Muschamp JW, Vigdorchik A, Hull EM. A nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor in the medial preoptic area inhibits copulation and stimulus sensitization in male rats. Behav Neurosci. 118(6):1317-23. (2004)
Hull EM, Muschamp JW, Sato S. Dopamine and serotonin: influences on male sexual behavior. Physiol Behav. 83(2):291-307. (2004)
Coolen LM, Hull EM. Male sexual function. Physiol Behav. 83(2):175-6. (2004)
Muschamp JW, Regina MJ, Hull EM, Winter JC, Rabin RA. Lysergic acid diethylamide and [-]-2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine increase extracellular glutamate in rat prefrontal cortex. Brain Res. 1023(1):134-40. (2004)
Dominguez JM, Muschamp JW, Schmich JM, Hull EM. Nitric oxide mediates glutamate-evoked dopamine release in the medial preoptic area. Neuroscience. 125(1):203-10. (2004)