Penile erection and yawning induced by paraventricular NMDA injection in male rats are mediated by oxytocin

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1994 May;48(1):203-7. doi: 10.1016/0091-3057(94)90517-7.

Abstract

The effect of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA), (+-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA), or (+-)-trans-1-amino-1,3-cyclo-pentanedicarboxylic acid (ACPD) (5-60 ng in 0.3 microliter of saline) microinjected in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus on penile erection and yawning was studied in male rats. NMDA induced both penile erection and yawning in a dose-dependent manner. AMPA and ACPD also induced penile erection but less potently than NMDA, but were ineffective in causing yawning. NMDA effect on penile erection and yawning was prevented by (+)-MK-801 (0.05-0.1 mg/kg IP, 10 min before NMDA), by the oxytocin antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-Orn8- vasotocin (50-100 ng ICV 10 min before NMDA), but not by haloperidol (0.1-0.5 mg/kg IP 10 min before NMDA). The results suggest that NMDA induces penile erection and yawning by increasing oxytocinergic transmission by acting in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cycloleucine / administration & dosage
  • Cycloleucine / analogs & derivatives
  • Cycloleucine / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cycloleucine / pharmacology
  • Dopamine / physiology
  • Injections
  • Injections, Intraventricular
  • Male
  • N-Methylaspartate / administration & dosage
  • N-Methylaspartate / antagonists & inhibitors
  • N-Methylaspartate / pharmacology*
  • Neurotoxins / administration & dosage
  • Neurotoxins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Neurotoxins / pharmacology
  • Oxytocin / physiology*
  • Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / physiology*
  • Penile Erection / drug effects*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Amino Acid / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Amino Acid / drug effects
  • Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
  • Yawning / drug effects*
  • alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / administration & dosage
  • alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / antagonists & inhibitors
  • alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / pharmacology

Substances

  • Neurotoxins
  • Receptors, Amino Acid
  • Cycloleucine
  • 1-amino-1,3-dicarboxycyclopentane
  • Oxytocin
  • N-Methylaspartate
  • alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid
  • Dopamine