title: Stimulation of the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus in the rat elicits increases in intracavernous pressure.
abstract: Penile erection can be elicited by various stimuli integrated in the spinal cord and/or higher central nervous structures. The medial preoptic area (MPOA) of the hypothalamus is known to play a key role in the regulation of the male sexual behavior. In anesthetized male rats we performed MPOA stimulation via stereotaxically implanted electrodes or canulae delivering L-glutamate. An erectile response, assessed by an increase of intracavernous pressure (ICP), was recorded during electrical stimulation of the MPOA. Stimulating the posterior region of the MPOA elicited a greater erectile response than stimulation applied to the anterior region. Microinjections of L-glutamate also elicited an ICP increase. Stimulation of MPOA neurons therefore elicits activation of neural pathways controlling penile erection.
authors: Service d'Urologie, Hôpital Bicêtre, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Giuliano
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Rampin
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Brown
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Courtois
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Benoit
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Jardin
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D010410:Penile Erection; D010413:Penis / Q000502:physiology*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques
chemical_list: D018698:Glutamic Acid