Oxidative and glicolytic metabolism of the frontal cortex (latero-frontal) and of the posterior cortex (latero-occipital) in relation with the sexual activity of the rat.

The authors of this paper have ascertained the glycolytic metabolism and the oxidative metabolism (intake of QO2), of the frontal and posterior cortex in female rats at different stages of the sexual cycle, as also in ovariectomized animals, by the intake of glucose and the production of lactates. The results indicate a statistically significant increase of the oxidative metabolism of the posterior cortex (latero-occipital) in the estrual and proestrual phases, in comparisons with the diestral phase. The frontal cortex (latero-frontal) did not show any significant difference; moreover, the glycolitic metabolism did not alter in any of the tissues under observation. These findings, seem to suggest possible participation of the posterior cortex (latero-occipital) on the regulation of sexual cycle of the rat. The activation of this cortex occurs through the preponderant imbricantion of the tri-carboxylic acid cycle.