Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats
Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and stimulates uterine contraction and milk ejection. While many people consider oxytocin to be a female hormone, it is reported that, in men, the plasma oxytocin level increases markedly after ejaculation. However, this aspect of oxytocin physiology is poorl...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Communicative & Integrative Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2021.1902056 |
| _version_ | 1818754753310490624 |
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| author | Takumi Oti Tatsuya Sakamoto Hirotaka Sakamoto |
| author_facet | Takumi Oti Tatsuya Sakamoto Hirotaka Sakamoto |
| author_sort | Takumi Oti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and stimulates uterine contraction and milk ejection. While many people consider oxytocin to be a female hormone, it is reported that, in men, the plasma oxytocin level increases markedly after ejaculation. However, this aspect of oxytocin physiology is poorly understood. The spinal ejaculation generator (SEG), which expresses the neuropeptide, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), can trigger ejaculation in rats. Therefore, we focused on systemic effects of oxytocin on the GRP/SEG neuron system in the lumbar spinal cord controlling sexual activity in male rats. We found that systemic administration of oxytocin significantly shortened the latency to the first mount, intromission and ejaculation during male copulatory behavior. In addition, the local oxytocin level in the lumbar cord was significantly higher in males than in females. Histological analysis showed that oxytocin-binding is apparent in spinal GRP/SEG neurons. We therefore conclude that oxytocin influences male sexual activity via the SEG. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T05:28:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0cc647722e2743a591a252284882ba14 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1942-0889 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T05:28:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communicative & Integrative Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0cc647722e2743a591a252284882ba142022-12-21T21:19:30ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCommunicative & Integrative Biology1942-08892021-01-01141556010.1080/19420889.2021.19020561902056Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in ratsTakumi Oti0Tatsuya Sakamoto1Hirotaka Sakamoto2Kanagawa UniversityOkayama UniversityOkayama UniversityOxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and stimulates uterine contraction and milk ejection. While many people consider oxytocin to be a female hormone, it is reported that, in men, the plasma oxytocin level increases markedly after ejaculation. However, this aspect of oxytocin physiology is poorly understood. The spinal ejaculation generator (SEG), which expresses the neuropeptide, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), can trigger ejaculation in rats. Therefore, we focused on systemic effects of oxytocin on the GRP/SEG neuron system in the lumbar spinal cord controlling sexual activity in male rats. We found that systemic administration of oxytocin significantly shortened the latency to the first mount, intromission and ejaculation during male copulatory behavior. In addition, the local oxytocin level in the lumbar cord was significantly higher in males than in females. Histological analysis showed that oxytocin-binding is apparent in spinal GRP/SEG neurons. We therefore conclude that oxytocin influences male sexual activity via the SEG.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2021.1902056spinal cordoxytocingastrin-releasing peptidemale sexual activityspinal ejaculation generatorhypothalamussystemic treatmentrat |
| spellingShingle | Takumi Oti Tatsuya Sakamoto Hirotaka Sakamoto Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats Communicative & Integrative Biology spinal cord oxytocin gastrin-releasing peptide male sexual activity spinal ejaculation generator hypothalamus systemic treatment rat |
| title | Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats |
| title_full | Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats |
| title_fullStr | Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats |
| title_short | Systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats |
| title_sort | systemic effects of oxytocin on male sexual activity via the spinal ejaculation generator in rats |
| topic | spinal cord oxytocin gastrin-releasing peptide male sexual activity spinal ejaculation generator hypothalamus systemic treatment rat |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19420889.2021.1902056 |
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