Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 281, Issues 2–3, 10 March 2000, Pages 127-130
Neuroscience Letters

Activation of γ-aminobutyric acidA receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus reduces apomorphine-, N-methyl-d-aspartic acid- and oxytocin-induced penile erection and yawning in male rats

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(00)00821-1Get rights and content

Abstract

The effect of muscimol and baclofen injected into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus on penile erection and yawning induced by apomorphine, oxytocin and N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) was studied in male rats. Muscimol (20–200 ng), but not baclofen (200 ng), injected into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus 10 min before apomorphine (50 ng), oxytocin (10 ng) or NMDA (50 ng) reduced penile erection and yawning induced by the above compounds given into the paraventricular nucleus. Bicuculline (250 ng) injected into the paraventricular nucleus 5 min before muscimol (100 ng) prevented the inhibitory effect of muscimol on penile erection and yawning induced by apomorphine, oxytocin and NMDA. The present results show that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibits penile erection and yawning by acting on GABAA receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a MURST grant to A.A.

References (20)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (37)

  • Neuronal activation of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area in female and male rats during copulation and its sex differences

    2021, Neuroscience Letters
    Citation Excerpt :

    The GABAergic system in the MPOA plays an inhibitory role in the regulation of sexual behavior in both sexes [7,8,21]. In addition, some GABAergic neurons in the MPOA of rats and mice project to areas outside the MPOA, such as the paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, and ventral tegmental area, where GABAergic neurotransmission facilitates or inhibits sexual behavior [19,29,30]. In the present study, we showed that a population of Calb neurons exists in the CALB-SDN of rats that is activated during copulation in both sexes, suggesting that Calb neurons in the CALB-SDN are involved in regulation of sexual behavior in both sexes.

  • Profiles of brain central nervous system gene expression associated with ejaculation behavior in male rats

    2017, Behavioural Brain Research
    Citation Excerpt :

    Dopamine seems to pull the sex “trigger”, while serotonin serves as the “brake” ([17]). Other systems such as the cholinergic [52–54] and GABAergic [55,56] systems may also play an important role in sexual activity. Furthermore, neurohormones such as oxytocin [57–59], vasopressin [60,61], and endocrine hormones such as prolactin [18] may also be involved.

  • Male Sexual Behavior

    2017, Hormones, Brain and Behavior: Third Edition
  • Male Sexual Behavior

    2015, Knobil and Neill's Physiology of Reproduction: Two-Volume Set
  • Endothelins & erectile dysfunction

    2011, Pharmacological Research
    Citation Excerpt :

    Penile erection is under both central and local neuromediation [5]. A large number of substances have been demonstrated experimentally to act at the supraspinal level; these include dopamine, oxytocin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, nitric oxide, serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid and cannabinoids [7–14]. Locally, a number of vasoactive mediators are released by the endothelial and smooth muscle cells of the CC.

  • Anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction

    2010, Journal of Sexual Medicine
    Citation Excerpt :

    Cumulative data resulting from investigations on the role of GABA in penile erection indicate that this neurotransmitter may function as an inhibitory modulator in the autonomic and somatic reflex pathways involved in penile erection [52]. Activation of GABAA receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of male rats reduced penile erection and yawning in response to apomorphine, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), and oxytocin [52]. Dorfman et al. examined age-related changes of the GABAB receptor in the lumbar spinal cord of Sprague Dawley rats of different ages using quantitative autoradiography [53].

View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text