The autonomic nerve supply of male sex organs--an important target of circulating androgens

Abstract

The autonomic nervous system plays a critical role in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction, exocrine secretion and blood flow in the male reproductive organs. Many of the autonomic neurons that supply these targets lie in the pelvic ganglia, which contain both sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglion cells. In rats, removal of circulating androgens by castration before or after puberty has profound effects on the structure, chemistry and function of particular classes of pelvic autonomic neurons. While most of these effects occur in reproductive pathways, some bladder- or bowel-projecting neurons also exhibit androgen-sensitivity. Our studies on these ganglion cells and their spinal preganglionic inputs show that testosterone (or a metabolite) has potent actions both before and after puberty and can be considered essential for the normal maturation and maintenance of some pelvic autonomic reflex pathways. Androgen receptors are distributed widely throughout various components of these circuits, suggesting that testosterone may have direct effects on neuronal gene expression. Together, the studies show that in addition to powerful effects on some central neurons controlling reproductive behaviour, testosterone has similarly important effects on peripheral neurons that trigger and complete copulatory reflexes.