Anxiolytics reverse the acceleration of ejaculation resulting from enforced intercopulatory intervals in rats.

Abstract

The enforced interval of copulation (EIC) consists of the artificial prolongation of the interintromission interval, induces a reduction in the number of intromissions preceding ejaculation, and is accompanied by an anxiety like behavioral repertoire. The administration of the benzodiazepine anxiolytics diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, flurazepam, and flunitrazepam produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the EIC effect with a concomitant increase in mounting. These actions were blocked by the central benzodiazepine antagonist Ro 15-1788. The anxiogenic agent beta-carboline Zk 39106 had no effect. Treatment with pentobarbital also produced a blockade of the reduction in the number of intromissions during EIC, whereas muscimol and bicuculline lacked this effect. The serotonergic anxiolytic buspirone reversed the facilitatory action induced by EIC; however, two putative serotonergic antianxiety agents, 8-OH-DPAT and ipsapirone, did not modify or potentiate it, respectively. Finally, the nonanxiolytic serotonergic compounds 5-hydroxytryptophan and TFMPP drastically increased the number of mounts but did not antagonize the reduction of intromissions produced by EIC. These results suggest that an increase in the anxiety levels may be responsible for the excitatory action of EIC on sexual behavior.

Copulatory Pattern of Male Rats in a Multiple Partner Choice Arena

“…More recently, it has been shown that ejaculatory facilitation induced by enforced intercopulatory intervals may be reversed in male rats by administering anxiolytic drugs like diazepam which increase the number of mounts preceding ejaculation and prolong the ejaculation latency and the postejaculatory interval [34]. In MPCA conditions, the competition among males to copulate may elicit a certain degree of stress and anxiety.…”

Coexpression of sexual behavior and maternal aggression: The ambivalence of sexually active mother rats toward male intruders.

“…However, when copulating in the home cage, the mount latencies were increased (supplementary Table 1) and the total number of mounts preceding ejaculation was reduced ( Mdn = 11.0, SIQR = 3.3) when compared to these parameters in a new cage ( Mdn = 18.0, SIQR = 8.0), U (7,9) = 13.5, p = .06. This last observation can be explained as an anxiogenic effect of maternal aggression on the males; directly as a consequence of female's agonistic displays, or indirectly, by imposing the length of the interintromission intervals (Fernández-Guasti, Roldán-Roldán & Saldívar, 1990; Fernández-Guasti, Roldán-Roldán & Larsson, 1991). On the other hand, sexual interaction did not affect the number of submissive postures performed by the male ( Mdn = 13.0, SIQR = 3.0), but shortened their duration (supplementary Table 1) when compared to that exhibited by female intruders ( Mdn = 12.0, SIQR = 3.5, U [9,9] = 40.0, p = ns ), most likely as a result of an increased male's sexual arousal and female's soliciting.…”

My way to biological psychology

“…The inhibitory effects of 5‐HTP upon ejaculatory behavior are very well documented, and may be mainly due to stimulation of the 5‐HT 1B receptor. Several pharmacological agents selectively stimulate this receptor, resulting in an increase in the number of intromissions and a prolongation of the response latencies (Fernández‐Guasti et al , 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992). The role of another inhibitory subreceptor, the 5‐HT 2 receptor, in male sexual behavior has still not been clarified.…”