A novel environment disrupts copulation in sexually naive but not experienced male rats: Reversal with naloxone

Pfaus, James G.; Wilkins, Mark F.

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(94)00394-k

Cited by 82 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Our results are consistent with the data from other studies, because the number of mounts and hit rate appear to be mediated by the opioid system. For example, the number of mounts and hit rate are commonly modified by stressors, including water immersion, foot shock and novel environment, which were blocked in a dose-dependent manner by pretreatment with opioid antagonists [25,28]. In addition, injection of an opioid agonist also modified the number of mounts and hit rate [22].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Naloxone Blocks the Deterioration of Male Sexual Behavior Induced by Alarm Pheromone in Rats

Kobayashi

Kiyokawa

Arata

et al. 2013

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

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ABSTRACT. Previously, we have demonstrated that the alarm pheromone deteriorates sexual behavior in male rats, which was blocked by pretreatment with a corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) antagonist. Studies have shown that an opioid antagonist blocked the deterioration of male sexual behavior following intracerebroventricular administration of CRH. Therefore, possibly, the pheromone effects could also be mediated by the opioid system. In this study, we pretreated rats with naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist, and examined the following sexual behavior modulations in male rats that were exposed to the alarm pheromone. Naloxone blocked the deterioration of sexual behavior in a dose-dependent manner. On the basis of these data and the results of the previous study, we conclude that the alarm pheromone activates the CRH system, which then activates the opioid system, to deteriorate male sexual behavior. KEY WORDS: alarm pheromone, naloxone, opioid, rat, sexual behavior.doi: 10.1292/jvms.12-0454; J. Vet. Med. Sci. 75(6): 761-765, 2013 Sexual behavior is one of the most important activities for organisms and has been studied for many years. In addition to sexual behavior itself, it also has been demonstrated that various types of stressors can deteriorate male sexual behavior. For example, 2 hr of immobilization elongated intromission latency, increased number of mounts needed for an ejaculation and decreased hit rate (number of intromissions/sum of mounts and intromissions) in male rat [27]. Similarly, water immersion elongated mount, intromission and ejaculation latency, and post ejaculation interval (PEI), and it increased the number of mounts and intromissions, and decreased the hit rate [27]. In addition, we have shown that sexual behavior was also deteriorated by the alarm pheromone [16].We previously showed that foot-shocked male Wistar rats release an alarm pheromone, which aggravates stressinduced hyperthermia (SIH) in pheromone-exposed rats [10] via the vomeronasal system [14]. We can induce the release of this pheromone by electrical stimulation to the perianal region of the anesthetized donor rat [14]. In addition, this alarm pheromone was shown to be water-soluble, because exposure to water droplets collected from the ceiling of the box in which the alarm pheromone was released produced all responses that are observed in recipients directly exposed to the pheromone [12]. This pheromone solution allows us to observe pheromone effects in different experimental paradigms; it can evoke several responses, such as aggravated SIH in the home cage [12,14], increased defensive and risk assessment behaviors in a modified open-field test [15] and enhanced acoustic startle reflex (ASR) [7,8]. In addition to its effects on individual animals, the effects of the alarm pheromone on social behavior have been analyzed [16]. When we presented the alarm pheromone during sexual behavior, male sexual behavior was deteriorated as indicated by the increasing number of mounts and decreasing hit rate, whereas female se...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Naloxone Blocks the Deterioration of Male Sexual Behavior Induced by Alarm Pheromone in Rats

Kobayashi

Kiyokawa

Arata

et al. 2013

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

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“…Opiate antagonists +/− (Leyton and Stewart, 1996;Rodriguez-Manzo and Fernandez-Guasti, 1995;Pfaus and Wilkins, 1995;Sachs et al, 1981;van Furth and van Ree, 1994) Nitric oxide NO agonists + (Benelli et al, 1995;Ferrari et al, 2002;Giuliano et al, 2003) Although NO is a major facilitator of parasympathetically mediated erections, it may inhibit sympathetically mediated seminal emission and ejaculation (Moses and Hull, 1999). Benelli et al, 1995;Bialy et al, 1996;Hull et al, 1994) nitric oxide (NO), in both basal and female-stimulated conditions (reviewed in Dominguez and Hull, 2005;Hull et al, 2006).…”

Section: Ne Antagonists − (Clark and Smith 1990)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual behavior in male rodents

Hull

Domínguez

2007

Hormones and Behavior

392

272

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The hormonal factors and neural circuitry that control copulation are similar across rodent species, although there are differences in specific behavior patterns. Both estradiol (E) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) contribute to the activation of mating, although E is more important for copulation and DHT for genital reflexes. Hormonal activation of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) is most effective, although implants in the medial amygdala (MeA) can also stimulate mounting in castrates. Chemosensory inputs from the main and accessory olfactory systems are the most important stimuli for mating in rodents, especially in hamsters, although genitosensory input also contributes. Dopamine agonists facilitate sexual behavior, and serotonin (5-HT) is generally inhibitory, though certain 5-HT receptor subtypes facilitate erection or ejaculation. Norepinephrine agonists and opiates have dose-dependent effects, with low doses facilitating and high doses inhibiting behavior.

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“…Numerous manipulations differentially affect sexual behavior, depending upon prior sexual experience w x 11, 16,33,39,47,50 . Enhanced sexual behavior and altered susceptibility to manipulations may indicate long term changes in neuronal responsiveness to sexually relevant stimuli.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of a D1 antagonist and of sexual experience on copulation-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity in the medial preoptic nucleus

Lumley

Hull

1999

Brain Research

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A novel environment disrupts copulation in sexually naive but not experienced male rats: Reversal with naloxone

Cited by 82 publications

References 17 publications

Naloxone Blocks the Deterioration of Male Sexual Behavior Induced by Alarm Pheromone in Rats

Naloxone Blocks the Deterioration of Male Sexual Behavior Induced by Alarm Pheromone in Rats

Sexual behavior in male rodents

Effects of a D1 antagonist and of sexual experience on copulation-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity in the medial preoptic nucleus

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