Figure 1. Mating suppresses the effectiveness of mating male’s chemosignals in activating arcuate dopaminergic neurons.

Significantly lower co-localisation of c-Fos (black nuclei) was found in dopaminergic arcuate neurons (brown cytoplasm) of mated females exposed to familiar (mating) male bedding (A, C), than to bedding from an unfamiliar male (B, D). Black and white arrows indicate tyrosine hydoxylase-positive neurons with and without c-Fos co-localisation respectively. E) Mean (± standard error) percentage of arcuate dopaminergic neurons with c-Fos co-localisation was significantly lower in mated females exposed to the mating male compared to an unfamiliar male, or unmated females re-exposed to male bedding (*p < 0.05, Tukey multiple comparisons).