The Mediation of Feline Erection Through Sympathetic Pathways With Some Remarks on Sexual Behavior After Deafferentation of the Genitalia

Root, Walter S.; Bard, Philip

doi:10.1152/ajplegacy.1947.151.1.80

Cited by 107 publications

(36 citation statements)

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“…If we assume that in SCI patients with completely destroyed reflexogenic sacral erection centre (S2-S4), their thoracolumbar sympathetic erection centre (T10-L2) is not only responsible for detumescence (via adrenergic transmitters 19,20 ), but also becomes a proerectile function (via a still unknown pathway), then our results underline the theory of a sympathetic dichotomy, which was already described by other authors in animal models and from clinical observations in SCI patients. [21][22][23][24][25] Accordingly, our SCI patients with destroyed sacral conus and preserved thoracolumbar metameres were still able to get erections after audiovisual stimulation; direct tactile stimulation of the glans penis never resulted in erections in these cases. Whereas in healthy men, the parasympathetic sacral erection centre seems to play a major role in producing reflexive and psychogenic erections as well as nocturnal erections, our NPTR findings corroborate the observation that many men with lesion of the sacral conus maintain sympathetic induced pyschogenic and nocturnal erections.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Transection and stimulation experiments of the hypogastric nerve (HGN) in animals showed controversial results. [21][22][23][24][25] Nearly normal NPTRs could be observed only in patients with incomplete lesions above or between both erection centres, presenting with normal or slightly disturbed electrophysiological (SSR, pSSEP, BCR) and urodynamic recordings (group C). This may be explained by the fact that both spinal erection centres and their somatosensory afferent/ autonomic efferent connections to brain centres are left more or less intact, allowing nearly normal induction of erections.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) findings in spinal cord injured men with erectile dysfunction

2004

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This prospective study aimed at determining whether nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) findings correlate to the neurologic disorders in spinal cord injured (SCI) patients suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED). A total of 25 acute SCI male patients with post-traumatic ED underwent neurological, electrophysiological and urodynamic examinations, respectively, as well as NPTR recordings. The mean value for rigidity (R), tumescence (T) and duration (D) during NTPR tests were 83.3%, 3.3 cm, 6.4 min in patients with a complete lesion above the sacral (S2-S4) spinal cord (n ¼ 10), 46.1%, 1.6 cm, 5.5 min in patients with a complete lesion involving the sacral metameres (n ¼ 5) and 89.8%, 3.8 cm, 29 min in patients with an incomplete suprasacral lesion (n ¼ 7). The differences among these groups were statistically significant (Po0.05). Patients with lesions involving both sacral and thoracolumbar spinal cord showed no erections (n ¼ 3). We found four NTPR patterns: (1) normal R and T, short D; (2) weak R and T, short D; (3) normal R, T and D; and (4) no erections, which can be assigned to different levels and completeness of spinal cord lesions. Nocturnal erections of normal quality need preservation of thoracolumbar and sacral neuronal control as well as partially intact connections of the spinal erection centres with brain areas responsible for sexual arousal.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) findings in spinal cord injured men with erectile dysfunction

2004

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“…All these findings seem to be relevant only in acute experiences. In a chronic animal study after abdominal sympathectomy in male cats Roots and Bard [13] no alteration of sexual behavior.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

The sympathetic role as an antagonist of erection

et al. 1991

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Summary. The effects of the lumbar and pelvic sympathetic system on penile erection were studied in a canine model. Erection was induced by cavernous nerve stimulation and detumescence by sympathetic trunk stimulation. Erection induced by cavernous nerve stimulation normally subsides slowly. After discontinuation of electrical stimulation the intracavernous pressure drops within a mean of 291 s to 50% and after a mean of 372s to 10% of the highest level. However, stimulation of the sympathetic trunk at the level of L4-S 1 applied directly after discontinuation of cavernous nerve stimulation accelerated this drop of intracavernous pressure significantly: to 50% after a mean of t9s and to 10% after a mean of 36s. If stimulation of the sympathetic trunk was initiated 20 s before cavernous nerve stimulation, the pressure rise was aborted completely. Neurostimulation of the hypogastric nerves alone or in combination with cavernous nerve stimulation did not change the intracavernous pressure. These results were not altered after neurotomy of the pudendal or hypogastric nerves. The main pathway of the fibers from the sympathetic trunk to the penis seems to run via the pelvic plexus. The stimulation voltage and frequency to induce erection or detumescence were equivalent. Our results suggest that an elevated central sympathetic tone may be one of the causes of psychogenic impotence. Key words: Sympathetic trunks -Erection -Detumescence -ImpotenceThe erectile tissue of the corpora cavernosa is under the control of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems [11]. As shown in previous horseradish peroxidase studies in dogs [9], the cavernous nerve fibers are connected to central ganglion cells in the spinal cord at the level of T12-L3 (sympathetic centers) and S1-$3 (parasympathetic centers Previous reports on the effects of sympathetic nerve stimulation on penile erection are contradictory [1,4,14,15]. This study was undertaken to clarify intracavernous pressures changes during erection and detumescence induced by neurostimulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system. Materials and methods Animal preparationsThe experiments were carried out on fourteen mongrel dogs (18-29 kg). The dogs were premedicated with acepromazine 0.1 mg/kg and ketamine 5 mg/kg intramuscularly and anesthesized by intravenous administration of pentobarbital (100-130mg as a bolus; maintenance with additional 10 mg dosages as required). All animals were breathing spontaneously. Intravenous saline perfusion was given 2 ml-kg -l" h -1. After all preparations and surgical exposures the dogs were anticoagulated with sodium heparin (1,000U as a bolus; maintenance 100 U/h) to prevent blood clots inn the recording lines. Surgical proceduresThe dogs were placed in the supine position. The abdomen was entered via a midline incision. The midshaft of the penis was dissected free from skin and subcutaneous tissue. After dissection of the perivesical fat, bipolar cuff electrodes (Avery Lab) were placed around both cavernous nerves. The same elect...

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“…16 The same observation was made in male cats, where all spinal segments below L4 had been removed. Erections developed when exposed to an estrous female, 17 while re¯ex erections in response to penile manipulation did not occur. Inferior mesenteric ganglionectomy or bilateral removal of the abdominal sympathetic chains abolished these erections, but not removal of sacral sympathetic chain ganglia.…”

Section: Sympathetic Pathways To the Penismentioning

confidence: 99%

Sympathetic pathways and adrenergic innervation of the penis

2000

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The sympathetic nervous system is important for penile function: it mediates detumescence and may contribute to the maintenance of the penis in a non-erect state. The sympathetic preganglionic neurons are found in the intermediolateral gray matter of the spinal cord. Postganglionic neurons are located to the sympathetic chain ganglia, the inferior mesenteric, hypogastric and pelvic ganglia, and possibly to ganglia near the target organ. Sympathetic ®bres can be found in the pelvic, cavernous, and pudendal nerves. Stimulation of the sympathetic pathways to the penis may, however, also produce erection. It has been suggested that the suprasacral vasodilator pathway is a sympathetic cholinergic pathway, operating through cholinergic neurons in the pelvic plexus. In the penis, there is a rich sympathetic, adrenergic innervation of the corpus cavernosum (CC) and the vasculature, and in particular of the helicine arteries. Sympathetic, adrenergic nerves also contain neuropeptide Y. Parasympathetic cholinergic nerves, which mediate CC relaxation and erection, contain not only acetylcholine, but also vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, nitric oxide synthase, and probably other mediators andaor mediator-synthesizing enzymes. Activation of sympathetic adrenergic nerves causes release of noradrenaline, acting on a-adrenoceptors in the trabecular smooth muscle of the CC and in penile vessels. The role of interactions between different transmitters and mediators, released from nerves or generated locally, in the regulation of contraction and relaxation of CC and penile vessels, needs further study.

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The Mediation of Feline Erection Through Sympathetic Pathways With Some Remarks on Sexual Behavior After Deafferentation of the Genitalia

Cited by 107 publications

References 0 publications

Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) findings in spinal cord injured men with erectile dysfunction

Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity (NPTR) findings in spinal cord injured men with erectile dysfunction

The sympathetic role as an antagonist of erection

Sympathetic pathways and adrenergic innervation of the penis

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