[Psychological stress and sexual behavior in male rats. I. Sexual behavior in rats undergoing psychological or physical stress].
The relationship between sexual behavior and long-term stress in male Wistar rats was investigated. Rats were divided into two groups, one of which exposed to electrical foot shock for 1 hour a day for 10 weeks to create physical stress. The other group was exposed to the rats receiving shock to create psychological stress. Rats in both groups were placed in a compartment with a floor grid from which the foot shock might be derived. Rats in the psychological stress group were prevented from receiving foot shock by a plastic plate placed on the floor, but they were exposed to the response of the rats receiving foot shock. Sexual behavior tests were done 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks after starting the induction of stress. Rats in the physical stress group increased their sexual activity with exposure to long-term physical stress. On the other hand, rats in the psychological stress group temporarily increased their sexual activity, but then their sexual activity gradually decreased. Our experimental results suggest that long-term psychological stress reduces the sexual activity of male rats.
Sato
Y
Y
Department of Urology, Sapporo Medical College.
Kumamoto
Y
Y
Suzuki
N
N
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors