Sexual behavior in castrated male rats treated with monoamine synthesis inhibitors and testosterone

Abstract

Castrated male rats treated daily with the 5-HT synthesis inhibitor p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 20 mg/kg) started to display mounts, intromissions and ejaculations more rapidly in response to daily treatment with testosterone propionate (TP, 0.15 mg/kg) than NaCl-treated rats. Daily treatment with the catecholamine (CA) synthesis inhibitor alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha-MT, 20 mg/kg) had no effect on the behavioral response to subsequent TP treatment. The acceleration of TP-induced sexual behavior by PCPA pretreatment was inhibited by pretreatment with DL-5-HTP (20 mg/kg) but not with L-DOPA (12.5 mg/kg). Analyses of brain monoamines showed that the PCPA treatment reduced brain 5-HT levels and produced a marked inhibition of the 5-HT synthesis. The 5-HTP treatment restored brain 5-HT levels to normal. Daily treatment with PCPA also reduced brain CA levels and inhibited the CA synthesis but these biochemical effects were not related to the effects of PCPA on sexual behavior. Daily treatment with PCPA (40 mg/kg for 12 days) or treatment with 126 mg/kg PCPA for 3 days induced the complete pattern of sexual behavior in 5 of 9 and 19 of 30 castrated rats respectively without concurrent TP treatment. It is suggested that 5-HT exerts a modulating influence on sexual behavior in male rats.