Electrolytic lesions to the anterior hypothalamus-preoptic area disrupt maternal nest-building in intact and ovariectomized, steroid-treated rabbits

- Progesterone (P) regulates rabbit maternal nest-building.
- The anterior hypothalamus-medial preoptic (AH-MPO) region contains P receptors.
- We lesioned such region to determine its relevance for P-regulated nest-building.
- Lesions reduced digging, straw-carrying and hair-pulling to different extents.
- Magnitude of effects in intact and ovariectomized does depended on lesion location.