Research on rats provides strong evidence that sexual motivation is neurologically distinct from the physical ability to perform sexually. For instance, studies on male rats show that lesions to the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus completely prevent them from engaging in sexual acts. Despite this inability, their motivation remains intact, as they will still expend effort to access a sexually receptive female. This fundamental dissociation between ability and motivation has been observed in both male and female rats, suggesting that separate neural systems mediate these two components of sexual behavior.