Reinforcing properties of ejaculation in the male rat: role of opioids and dopamine

Abstract

Ejaculation-induced reward in the male rat was evaluated by the conditioned place-preference paradigm. It was supposed that ejaculation induces a reward state such that it can be conditioned to environmental stimuli. Males were allowed to ejaculate once and were then immediately transferred to a place-preference cage. One ejaculation produced place preference. Naloxone (16 mg/kg) not only blocked this place preference but also induced a place aversion. Naloxone by itself had no effect on place preference. It is suggested that release of endogenous opioids renders ejaculation rewarding. Pimozide, in a dose of 1 mg/kg, had no effect on ejaculation-induced reward. Dopamine thus seems to be of slight importance for that effect of copulation. Perhaps compulsive sexual activity obeys the same mechanisms as compulsive drug use in opiate addicts.