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Braine A, Georges F. Emotion in action: When emotions meet motor circuits. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105475. [PMID: 37996047 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a remarkably complex organ responsible for a wide range of functions, including the modulation of emotional states and movement. Neuronal circuits are believed to play a crucial role in integrating sensory, cognitive, and emotional information to ultimately guide motor behavior. Over the years, numerous studies employing diverse techniques such as electrophysiology, imaging, and optogenetics have revealed a complex network of neural circuits involved in the regulation of emotional or motor processes. Emotions can exert a substantial influence on motor performance, encompassing both everyday activities and pathological conditions. The aim of this review is to explore how emotional states can shape movements by connecting the neural circuits for emotional processing to motor neural circuits. We first provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of different emotional states on motor control in humans and rodents. In line with behavioral studies, we set out to identify emotion-related structures capable of modulating motor output, behaviorally and anatomically. Neuronal circuits involved in emotional processing are extensively connected to the motor system. These circuits can drive emotional behavior, essential for survival, but can also continuously shape ongoing movement. In summary, the investigation of the intricate relationship between emotion and movement offers valuable insights into human behavior, including opportunities to enhance performance, and holds promise for improving mental and physical health. This review integrates findings from multiple scientific approaches, including anatomical tracing, circuit-based dissection, and behavioral studies, conducted in both animal and human subjects. By incorporating these different methodologies, we aim to present a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the emotional modulation of movement in both physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaelle Braine
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
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2
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Oti T, Sakamoto H. Neuropeptidergic control circuits in the spinal cord for male sexual behaviour: Oxytocin-gastrin-releasing peptide systems. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13324. [PMID: 37515539 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptidergic mechanisms controlling socio-sexual behaviours consist of complex neuronal circuitry systems in widely distributed areas of the brain and spinal cord. At the organismal level, it is now becoming clear that "hormonal regulations" play an important role, in addition to the activation of neuronal circuits. The gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) system in the lumbosacral spinal cord is an important component of the neural circuits that control penile reflexes in rats, circuits that are commonly referred to as the "spinal ejaculation generator (SEG)." Oxytocin, long known as a neurohypophyseal hormone, is now known to be involved in the regulation of socio-sexual behaviors in mammals, ranging from social bonding to empathy. However, the functional interaction between the SEG neurons and the hypothalamo-spinal oxytocin system remains unclear. Oxytocin is known to be synthesised mainly in hypothalamic neurons and released from the posterior pituitary into the circulation. Oxytocin is also released from the dendrites of the neurons into the hypothalamus where they have important roles in social behaviours via non-synaptic volume transmission. Because the most familiar functions of oxytocin are to regulate female reproductive functions including parturition, milk ejection, and maternal behaviour, oxytocin is often thought of as a "feminine" hormone. However, there is evidence that a group of parvocellular oxytocin neurons project to the lower spinal cord and control male sexual function in rats. In this report, we review the functional interaction between the SEG neurons and the hypothalamo-spinal oxytocin system and effects of these neuropeptides on male sexual behaviour. Furthermore, we discuss the finding of a recently identified, localised "volume transmission" role of oxytocin in the spinal cord. Findings from our studies suggest that the newly discovered "oxytocin-mediated spinal control of male sexual function" may be useful in the treatment of erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Oti
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kanagawa University, Hiratsuka, Japan
- Ushimado Marine Institute (UMI), Faculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Sakamoto
- Ushimado Marine Institute (UMI), Faculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
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3
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The pathophysiology of Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction - Lessons from a case study. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 161:114166. [PMID: 36898260 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.114166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD) has finally been recognized by the European Medicines Agency as a medical condition that can outlast discontinuation of SSRI and SNRI antidepressants, this condition is still largely unknown by patients, doctors, and researchers, and hence, poorly understood, underdiagnosed, and undertreated. OBJECTIVE Becoming familiar with the symptomatology of PSSD and understanding the underlying mechanisms and treatment options. METHOD We applied a design thinking approach to innovation to 1) provide insights into the medical condition as well as the personal needs and pains of a targeted patient; and 2) generate ideas for new solutions from the perspective of this particular patient. These insights and ideas informed a literature search on the potential pathophysiological mechanisms that could underlie the patient's symptoms. RESULTS The 55-year-old male patient developed symptoms of low libido, delayed ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, 'brain zaps', overactive bladder and urinary inconsistency after discontinuation of the SNRI venlafaxine. In many of these symptoms a dysregulation in serotonergic activity has been implicated, with an important role of 5-HT1A receptor downregulation and possible downstream effects on neurosteroid and oxytocin systems. CONCLUSIONS The clinical presentation and development of symptoms are suggestive of PSSD but need further clinical elaboration. Further knowledge of post-treatment changes in serotonergic - and possibly noradrenergic - mechanisms is required to improve our understanding of the clinical complaints and to inform appropriate treatment regimes.
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Masugi-Tokita M, Kubota S, Kobayashi K, Yoshida T, Kageyama S, Sakamoto H, Kawauchi A. Spinal Transection Switches the Effect of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Subtype 7 from the Facilitation to Inhibition of Ejaculation. Neuroscience 2023; 509:10-19. [PMID: 36403690 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 7 (mGluR7) is a member of the group III mGluRs, which localize to presynaptic active zones of the central nervous system. We previously reported that mGluR7 knockout (KO) mice exhibit ejaculatory disorders, although they have normal sexual motivation. We hypothesized that mGluR7 regulates ejaculation by potentiating the excitability of the neural circuit in the lumbosacral spinal cord, because administration of the mGluR7-selective antagonist into that region inhibits drug-induced ejaculation. In the present study, to elucidate the mechanism of impaired ejaculation in mGluR7 KO mice, we eliminated the influence of the brain by spinal transection (spinalization). Unexpectedly, sexual responses of male mGluR7 KO mice were stronger than those of wild-type mice after spinalization. Histological examination indicated that mGluR7 controls sympathetic neurons as well as parasympathetic neurons. In view of the complexity of its synaptic regulation, mGluR7 might control ejaculation by multi-level and multi-modal mechanisms. Our study provides insight into the mechanism of ejaculation as well as a strategy for future therapies to treat ejaculatory disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miwako Masugi-Tokita
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan; World Premier International Research Initiative-Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Shigehisa Kubota
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Kenichi Kobayashi
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Yoshida
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Susumu Kageyama
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Sakamoto
- Ushimado Marine Institute (UMI), Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Setouchi, Japan
| | - Akihiro Kawauchi
- Department of Urology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
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Oxytocin, Erectile Function and Sexual Behavior: Last Discoveries and Possible Advances. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910376. [PMID: 34638719 PMCID: PMC8509000 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A continuously increasing amount of research shows that oxytocin is involved in numerous central functions. Among the functions in which oxytocin is thought to be involved are those that play a role in social and sexual behaviors, and the involvement of central oxytocin in erectile function and sexual behavior was indeed one of the first to be discovered in laboratory animals in the 1980s. The first part of this review summarizes the results of studies done in laboratory animals that support a facilitatory role of oxytocin in male and female sexual behavior and reveal mechanisms through which this ancient neuropeptide participates in concert with other neurotransmitters and neuropeptides in this complex function, which is fundamental for the species reproduction. The second part summarizes the results of studies done mainly with intranasal oxytocin in men and women with the aim to translate the results found in laboratory animals to humans. Unexpectedly, the results of these studies do not appear to confirm the facilitatory role of oxytocin found in male and female sexual behavior in animals, both in men and women. Possible explanations for the failure of oxytocin to improve sexual behavior in men and women and strategies to attempt to overcome this impasse are considered.
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Wang Z, Li J, Wu W, Qi T, Huang Z, Wang B, Li S, Li C, Ding J, Zeng Y, Huang P, Zhou Z, Huang Y, Huang J, Wang X, Huang Q, Zhang G, Qiu P, Chen J. Saikosaponin D Rescues Deficits in Sexual Behavior and Ameliorates Neurological Dysfunction in Mice Exposed to Chronic Mild Stress. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:625074. [PMID: 33776766 PMCID: PMC7990100 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.625074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Often associated with sexual dysfunction (SD), chronic stress is the main contributing risk factor for the pathogenesis of depression. Radix bupleuri had been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine formulation for the regulation of emotion and sexual activity. As the main active component of Radix bupleuri, saikosaponin D (SSD) has a demonstrated antidepressant effect in preclinical studies. Herein, we sought to investigate the effect of SSD to restore sexual functions in chronically stressed mice and elucidate the potential brain mechanisms that might underly these effects. SSD was gavage administered for three weeks during the induction of chronic mild stress (CMS), and its effects on emotional and sexual behaviors in CMS mice were observed. The medial posterodorsal amygdala (MePD) was speculated to be involved in the manifestation of sexual dysfunctions in CMS mice. Our results revealed that SSD not only alleviated CMS-induced depressive-like behaviors but also rescued CMS-induced low sexual motivation and poor sexual performance. CMS destroyed astrocytes and activated microglia in the MePD. SSD treatment reversed the changes in glial pathology and inhibited neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress in the MePD of CMS mice. The neuronal morphological and functional deficits in the MePD were also alleviated by SSD administration. Our results provide insights into the central mechanisms involving the brain associated with sexual dysfunction. These findings deepen our understanding of SSD in light of the psychopharmacology of stress and sexual disorders, providing a theoretical basis for its potential clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Wang
- Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianwei Li
- Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Qi
- Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhansen Huang
- Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shixiong Li
- Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen Li
- School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiuyang Ding
- School of Forensic Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yuanning Zeng
- Research Center for Good Practice in TCM Proessing Technology, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Huang
- Foshan Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, China
| | - Zhihua Zhou
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanjun Huang
- Department of Neurology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Huang
- School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaohan Wang
- School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiyuan Huang
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guanghuan Zhang
- Department of Nutrition, Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medical and Western Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pingming Qiu
- School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Infertility and Sexual Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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7
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Hull EM, Dominguez JM. Neuroendocrine Regulation of Male Sexual Behavior. Compr Physiol 2019; 9:1383-1410. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c180018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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8
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Semple E, Hill JW. Sim1 Neurons Are Sufficient for MC4R-Mediated Sexual Function in Male Mice. Endocrinology 2018; 159:439-449. [PMID: 29059347 PMCID: PMC5761591 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Sexual dysfunction is a poorly understood condition that affects up to one-third of men around the world. Existing treatments that target the periphery do not work for all men. Previous studies have shown that central melanocortins, which are released by pro-opiomelanocortin neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, can lead to male erection and increased libido. Several studies specifically implicate the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) in the central control of sexual function, but the specific neural circuitry involved is unknown. We hypothesized that single-minded homolog 1 (Sim1) neurons play an important role in the melanocortin-mediated regulation of male sexual behavior. To test this hypothesis, we examined the sexual behavior of mice expressing MC4R only on Sim1-positive neurons (tbMC4Rsim1 mice) in comparison with tbMC4R null mice and wild-type controls. In tbMC4Rsim1 mice, MC4R reexpression was found in the medial amygdala and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. These mice were paired with sexually experienced females, and their sexual function and behavior was scored based on mounting, intromission, and ejaculation. tbMC4R null mice showed a longer latency to mount, a reduced intromission efficiency, and an inability to reach ejaculation. Expression of MC4R only on Sim1 neurons reversed the sexual deficits seen in tbMC4R null mice. This study implicates melanocortin signaling via the MC4R on Sim1 neurons in the central control of male sexual behavior.
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MESH Headings
- Amygdala/drug effects
- Amygdala/metabolism
- Amygdala/pathology
- Animals
- Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus/drug effects
- Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus/metabolism
- Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus/pathology
- Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Copulation/drug effects
- Crosses, Genetic
- Fertility Agents, Male/administration & dosage
- Fertility Agents, Male/therapeutic use
- Heterozygote
- Infertility, Male/drug therapy
- Infertility, Male/metabolism
- Infertility, Male/pathology
- Injections, Intraventricular
- Male
- Mice, Knockout
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Neurons/drug effects
- Neurons/metabolism
- Neurons/pathology
- Organ Specificity
- Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/drug effects
- Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/metabolism
- Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus/pathology
- Random Allocation
- Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4/genetics
- Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4/metabolism
- Repressor Proteins/metabolism
- Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- alpha-MSH/administration & dosage
- alpha-MSH/therapeutic use
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Semple
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, Ohio 43606
| | - Jennifer W. Hill
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, Ohio 43606
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9
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Kilciler G, Kilciler M, Kadihasanoglu M, Atahan O. Nonischaemic priapism associated with selective serotonin-3 receptor antagonist. Andrologia 2016; 49. [PMID: 27709642 DOI: 10.1111/and.12686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Priapism is a rare but severe urological emergency of erection of penis in the absence of physical and psychological sexual stimulation. Priapism is often idiopathic and is commonly associated with medications and underlying medical or traumatic causes. In this report, we present a case of a 70-year-old White Caucasian man who developed priapism after the administration of ondansetron, which is a selective serotonin type-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist. This case is unique, because, to date, there are only two presented cases in literature. The objective of this case report is to highlight the importance of recognising the possibility of priapism with ondansetron because this condition is not commonly seen in clinical practice to be associated with ondansetron and may go unrecognised. Also, potential pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the development of ondansetron-induced priapism are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Kilciler
- Department of Gastroenterology, Medical Faculty, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
| | - M Kilciler
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Park Bursa Hospital, Bahcesehir University, Bursa, Turkey
| | - M Kadihasanoglu
- Department of Urology, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - O Atahan
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Park Bursa Hospital, Kemerburgaz University, Bursa, Turkey
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10
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Rubio-Casillas A, Rodríguez-Quintero C, Rodríguez-Manzo G, Fernández-Guasti A. Unraveling the modulatory actions of serotonin on male rat sexual responses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 55:234-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Revised: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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11
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de Jong TR, Neumann ID. Moderate Role of Oxytocin in the Pro-Ejaculatory Effect of the 5-HT1A Receptor Agonist 8-OH-DPAT. J Sex Med 2015; 12:17-28. [DOI: 10.1111/jsm.12742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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12
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Veening JG, de Jong TR, Waldinger MD, Korte SM, Olivier B. The role of oxytocin in male and female reproductive behavior. Eur J Pharmacol 2014; 753:209-28. [PMID: 25088178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.07.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) is a nonapeptide with an impressive variety of physiological functions. Among them, the 'prosocial' effects have been discussed in several recent reviews, but the direct effects on male and female sexual behavior did receive much less attention so far. As our contribution to honor the lifelong interest of Berend Olivier in the control mechanisms of sexual behavior, we decided to explore the role of OT in the present review. In the successive sections, some physiological mechanisms and the 'pair-bonding' effects of OT will be discussed, followed by sections about desire, female appetitive and copulatory behavior, including lordosis and orgasm. At the male side, the effects on erection and ejaculation are reviewed, followed by a section about 'premature ejaculation' and a possible role of OT in its treatment. In addition to OT, serotonin receives some attention as one of the main mechanisms controlling the effects of OT. In the succeeding sections, the importance of OT for 'the fruits of labor' is discussed, as it plays an important role in both maternal and paternal behavior. Finally, we pay attention to an intriguing brain area, the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMHvl), apparently functioning in both sexual and aggressive behavior, which are at first view completely opposite behavioral systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Veening
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Anatomy, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - T R de Jong
- Department of Behavioral and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - M D Waldinger
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - S M Korte
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - B Olivier
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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13
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Melis MR, Argiolas A. Central control of penile erection: A re-visitation of the role of oxytocin and its interaction with dopamine and glutamic acid in male rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2011; 35:939-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2010] [Revised: 10/08/2010] [Accepted: 10/26/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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14
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Lau DHW, Thompson CS, Mikhailidis DP. The Peripheral Serotonergic Pathway: A New Target for Treating Erectile Dysfunction? Am J Mens Health 2007; 2:37-9. [DOI: 10.1177/1557988307308612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David H. W. Lau
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University College London, Department of Surgery Royal Free University College Medical School, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cecil S. Thompson
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University College London, Department of Surgery Royal Free University College Medical School, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dimitri P. Mikhailidis
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University College London, Department of Surgery Royal Free University College Medical School, University College London, London, UK,
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Lau DH, Thompson CS, Mumtaz FH, Morgan RJ, Mikhailidis DP. Serotonin Induces a Biphasic Response in Rabbit Cavernosal Smooth Muscle: Relevance to the Erectile Process. Urol Int 2007; 79:255-61. [DOI: 10.1159/000107959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2006] [Accepted: 10/25/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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16
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Dorfman VB, Vega MC, Coirini H. Age-related changes of the GABA-B receptor in the lumbar spinal cord of male rats and penile erection. Life Sci 2006; 78:1529-34. [PMID: 16472824 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2005.06.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2004] [Accepted: 06/17/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Dorsal horn neurons of lumbosacral spinal cord innervate penile vasculature and regulate penile erection. GABAergic system is involved in the regulation of male sexual behavior. Because aging is frequently accompanied by a progressive decline in erectile function, the aim of this work was to examine age-related changes of the GABA-B receptor in the lumbar spinal cord. Sprague-Dawley rats of 10 and 21 days old, 3, 9 and 20 months old were used. GABA-B receptors were evaluated by quantitative autoradiography using [3H]-Baclofen as ligand with or without GABA (10 microM) to determine the non-specific binding. Ten days after birth a homogeneous neuroanatomical distribution pattern was found in the gray matter, however at 20-day-old adult distribution emerged becoming heterogeneous with the highest binding values at layers II-III and X. In dorsal layers a significant decrease was observed in 9-month-old rats while layer X showed an earlier decrease (21-day-old). GABA-B receptor affinity showed significant age-dependent and regional increase. The GABA-B receptor decrease in aged rats seems not to be related to this receptor inhibitory function in penile erection. Moreover the changes found in GABA-B receptor binding anatomical distribution may indicate its role in the morphological development of the lumbar spinal cord rather than in the decline of the erectile function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica B Dorfman
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, V. de Obligado 2490 (C1428ADN) Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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17
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Abstract
Melanocortin receptors in the forebrain and spinal cord can be activated by endogenous or synthetic ligands to induce penile erection in rats and human subjects. To better understand how melanocortin circuits play a role in sex behavior, we review the contribution of melanocortin receptors and/or neurons in the hypothalamus, hindbrain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves to erectile function. New information regarding neuropeptides that mediate penile erection has extended our understanding of the central control of sex behavior, and melanocortin agonists may provide alternatives to existing treatment for highly prevalent problems including erectile dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Wessells
- Department of Urology, University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.
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Pattij T, de Jong TR, Uitterdijk A, Waldinger MD, Veening JG, Cools AR, van der Graaf PH, Olivier B. Individual differences in male rat ejaculatory behaviour: searching for models to study ejaculation disorders. Eur J Neurosci 2005; 22:724-34. [PMID: 16101754 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04252.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In addition to investigating sexual function in rats that display normal ejaculatory behaviour, studying rats that are either 'hyposexual' or 'hypersexual' may provide important insights into the aetiology of ejaculatory dysfunctions in men, such as premature and retarded ejaculation. To this end, rats were matched into groups of 'sluggish', 'normal' and 'rapid' ejaculators based on their ejaculation frequencies displayed in a series of weekly sexual behaviour tests. Selecting rats on this parameter revealed large and stable differences in other parameters of sexual behaviour as well, including ejaculation latency and mount frequency but not intromission frequency and mount latency, putative indices of sexual motivation. Neuroanatomically, Fos immunoreactivity as a measure of neuronal activation was increased in rapid ejaculators compared with sluggish ejaculators in ejaculation-related brain areas, presumably associated with the differences in ejaculatory behaviour. Although the total number of oxytocin neurones within subregions of the hypothalamus did not differ between groups, in the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus more oxytocin neurones were activated in rapid ejaculators compared with the other groups. Apart from the differences observed in ejaculatory behaviour, groups did not differ with respect to their locomotor activity and approach-avoidance behaviour as measured in the elevated plus-maze. Finally, apomorphine-induced stereotypy was similar in sluggish and rapid ejaculators, suggesting no large differences in dopamine susceptibility. Altogether, the present results suggest stable differences in male rat ejaculatory behaviour. Further exploring the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these differences may be a promising approach to gain insights into the aetiology of sexual dysfunctions such as premature, retarded or an-ejaculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Pattij
- Department of Anatomy, University Medical Center St Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Abstract
Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common condition associated with significant adverse effects on the sexual and overall quality of life of men with this condition. Behavioral therapies, such as the "squeeze" and "stop-start" techniques, and psychotherapy, have been the mainstay of PE management for many years. However, evidence of their short-term efficacy is limited while support for their long-term benefit is lacking. There are currently no medications licensed specifically for the treatment of PE. This paucity of pharmacological treatment may, in turn, contribute to the absence of systematic procedures for the identification, evaluation, and treatment of PE patients. Current "off-label" pharmacotherapeutic approaches include topical anesthetics, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Of these, the serotonin reuptake inhibitors show the greatest efficacy and an increasing body of evidence is illuminating their mode of action. Nevertheless, all current "off-label" pharmacotherapeutic approaches fall short of the ideal therapy for PE. In the absence of a cure, such a treatment should be tolerable, inconspicuously used, effective from first dose, rapid in onset of action, and available as a prn-dosing regimen. It is anticipated that agents in development for the specific indication of PE will come closer to this ideal than existing pharmacotherapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira Sharlip
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA.
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Argiolas A, Melis MR. Central control of penile erection: Role of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Prog Neurobiol 2005; 76:1-21. [PMID: 16043278 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2005.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2004] [Revised: 05/02/2005] [Accepted: 06/14/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus is an integration centre between the central and peripheral autonomic nervous systems. It is involved in numerous functions from feeding, metabolic balance, blood pressure and heart rate, to erectile function and sexual behaviour. In particular, a group of oxytocinergic neurons originating in this nucleus and projecting to extra-hypothalamic brain areas (e.g., hippocampus, medulla oblongata and spinal cord) control penile erection in male rats. Activation of these neurons by dopamine and its agonists, excitatory amino acids (N-methyl-D-aspartic acid) or oxytocin itself, or by electrical stimulation leads to penile erection, while their inhibition by gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) and its agonists or by opioid peptides and opiate-like drugs inhibits this sexual response. The activation of these neurons is secondary to the activation of nitric oxide synthase, which produces nitric oxide. Nitric oxide in turn causes, by a mechanism that is as yet unidentified, the release of oxytocin in extra-hypothalamic brain areas. Other compounds recently identified that facilitate penile erection by activating central oxytocinergic neurons are peptide analogues of hexarelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, pro-VGF-derived peptides, endogenous peptides that may be released by neuronal nerve endings impinging on oxytocinergic cell bodies, SR 141716A, a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, and, less convincingly, adrenocorticotropin-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (ACTH-MSH)-related peptides. Paraventricular oxytocinergic neurons and similar mechanisms are also involved in penile erection occurring in physiological contexts, namely noncontact erections that occur in male rats in the presence of an inaccessible receptive female, and during copulation. These findings show that the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus plays an important role in the control of erectile function and sexual activity. As the male rat is a model of sexual behaviour and penile physiology, which has largely increased in the last years our knowledge of peripheral and central mechanisms controlling erectile function (drugs that induce penile erection in male rats usually do so also in man), the above results may have great significance in terms of a human perspective for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Argiolas
- Bernard B. Brodie Department of Neuroscience, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Addictions, University of Cagliari, S.P. Sestu-Monserrato Km 0.700, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy.
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Vacher CM, Calas A, Maltonti F, Hardin-Pouzet H. Postnatal regulation by monoamines of vasopressin expression in the neuroendocrine hypothalamus of MAO-A-deficient mice. Eur J Neurosci 2004; 19:1110-4. [PMID: 15009159 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03201.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
We studied the influence of noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5-HT) on arginine-vasopressin (AVP) expression in the mouse neuroendocrine hypothalamus during the postnatal period. We used 11-day-old transgenic Tg8 mice knock-out for the monoamine oxidase A gene, which are characterized by increased amounts of NA (two-fold) and 5-HT (nine-fold) in the brain compared with wild-type littermates. AVP expression, determined by enzyme immunoassay and in situ hybridization, was increased in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), decreased in the supraoptic nucleus (SON), and unchanged in the paraventricular nucleus of Tg8 mice compared with wild-types. Inhibiting NA synthesis by injecting alpha-methylparatyrosine to Tg8 mice, AVP levels were decreased in the SCN but increased in the SON. Moreover, the administration of parachlorophenylalanine, a 5-HT synthesis inhibitor, was associated with increased AVP contents in the SCN only. Together, these data show a marked region-specific sensitivity of AVP expression to NA and 5-HT during the postnatal period in the mouse hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire-Marie Vacher
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie des Signaux Intercellulaires, UMR CNRS 7101, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Reconstructive surgery for patients with genital abnormalities or for patients who require reconstructive efforts is challenging. This review highlights those articles, which are outstanding among all those important papers, which have been published during the last year (2002-2003). RECENT FINDINGS A greater understanding of embryonal development improves the success of reconstructive surgery. Other factors, such as the patient's sex, influence the surgical technique used and the degree of invasiveness or complexity. In the adult the pressure to shorten hospital stays has played a big part in the continual modification and enhancement of surgical techniques. In addition to modified techniques, new off-the-shelf materials are introduced to the clinic, which seem to have the potential to improve the surgical outcome and shorten hospital stays. SUMMARY With the continued successful basic anatomy and basic research, reconstructive surgery brings higher success rates. Long-term results are still required to validate the reliability of these new surgical techniques and materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl-Dietrich Sievert
- Department of Urology, University of Münster, Albert Schweitzer Strasse 33, D-48129 Münster, Germany.
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