Table 3.

Overview of mating-induced Fos and Meth-induced pERK expression in brain areas where neural activation was induced only by mating.

Brain areas	Group	Fos	pERK	Dual	% Dual/pERK
MPN
	Sal10	14.1 ± 3.2	7.4 ± 4.2	4.8 ± 3.6	52.7 ± 10.8
	Sex+Sal10	214.3 ± 36.8*	8.4 ± 3.2	7.3 ± 3.1	83.1 ± 10.2
	Meth10	10.3 ± 4.6	11.8 ± 1.5	2.7 ± 0.9	20.0 ± 5.7
	Sex+Meth10	211.8 ± 10.0*	10.4 ± 3.3	8.7 ± 3.0	73.7 ± 12.5
BNST
BNSTpm	Sal10	13.3 ± 1.3	13.3 ± 1.3	0.9 ± 0.3	7.3 ± 2.9
	Sex+Sal10	216.8 ± 8.4*	4.6 ± 1.6*	2.4 ± 1.0	36.5 ± 15.0
	Meth10	15.2 ± 1.1	13.3 ± 2.1	1.8 ± 0.5	13.1 ± 4.0
	Sex+Meth10	171.1 ± 27.3*	9.1 ± 2.9	4.9 ± 1.1*	49.0 ± 1.3
VTA
	Sal10	35.6 ± 4.6	37.2 ± 11.2	14.9 ± 3.6	39.7 ± 7.7
	Sex+Sal10	114.3 ± 39.9*	46.3 ± 9.6	23.6 ± 7.0	24.2 ± 4.9
	Meth10	42.6 ± 4.7	50.2 ± 5.5	14.9 ± 3.5	34.1 ± 4.9
	Sex+Meth10	101.0 ± 16.7*	42.0 ± 8.5	19.5 ± 2.5	22.8 ± 4.2

Mean numbers ± s.e.m. of single and dual labeled neurons for pERK and Fos, as well as percentage of Meth activated neurons co-activated by sexual behavior are listed for each brain area or all four experimental groups.

^*indicate significant differences from unmated males of the same saline or Meth injected group (p < 0.05);

^#indicates significant differences from saline injected groups of the same sex or no sex treatment (p < 0.05).