Influence of a single treatment with vitamin E or K (hormonal imprinting) of neonatal rats on the sexual behavior of adults

The effect of a single neonatal treatment (imprinting) with vitamin E or vitamin K 1 on the sexual activity of three-month old rats, was studied. In female animals vitamin E treatment significantly lowered the Meyerson index and lordosis quotient, among males there were significantly more inactive animals and no multiple ejaculations could be observed. Vitamin K 1 treatment caused only slight changes in the same direction, in both sexes. Considering also earlier results concerning vitamin A and D neonatal treatments (alterations in receptor binding capacity, sex hormone levels and sexual behavior), and receptorial changes caused by neonatal vitamin E and K 1 treatments, the present experiment also calls attention to the lifelong effects of perinatal treatment with lipid soluble vitamins.