Oxytocin injected into the ventral subiculum or the posteromedial cortical nucleus of the amygdala induces penile erection and increases extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens of male rats
Abstract
Oxytocin (20-100 ng) was found to be able to induce penile erection when injected unilaterally into the ventral subiculum or the posteromedial cortical nucleus of the amygdala of male rats. The pro-erectile effect started mostly 30 min after treatment and was abolished by the prior injection of d(CH(2))(5)Tyr(Me)(2)-Orn(8)-vasotocin (1-2 microg), an oxytocin receptor antagonist, into the ventral subiculum or posteromedial cortical nucleus. Oxytocin-induced penile erection occurred 15 min after the increase in the concentration of extracellular dopamine and its metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the dialysate obtained from the nucleus accumbens, which was also abolished by d(CH(2))(5)Tyr(Me)(2)-Orn(8)-vasotocin. The pro-erectile effect of oxytocin was also reduced by cis-flupentixol (2 and 5 microg), a dopamine receptor antagonist, injected into the nucleus accumbens, and by (+)MK-801 (5 microg), a noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, injected into the ventral tegmental area, but not into the nucleus accumbens. Together with studies showing that glutamatergic efferents from the ventral subiculum/posteromedial cortical nucleus of the amygdala to other areas of the limbic system modulate the activity of mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons, these findings suggest that oxytocin injected into these areas increases glutamatergic neurotransmission in the ventral tegmental area. This, in turn, activates mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons, leading to penile erection. These results provide evidence that the ventral subiculum and the posteromedial cortical nucleus of the amygdala participate in a neural circuit that controls not only the consummatory aspects of sexual behaviour (e.g. penile erection and copulatory performance), but also its motivational/reward aspects, confirming a key role of oxytocin and dopamine in these processes.
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Activation of oxytocin neurons thought to target the VTA stimulates mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic neurons.
“Recent studies show activation of oxytocin neurons thought to target the VTA stimulates mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic neurons (Melis et al., 2007, Melis et al., 2009, Succu et al., 2011, Succu et al., 2008).”
From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Melis et al., 2009
Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens stimulates dopamine neurons within the PVN that can ultimately activate oxytocinergic neurons and induce penile erection.
“dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens has been demonstrated to produce stimulation of dopamine neurons within the PVN that can ultimately activate oxytocinergic neurons and induce penile erection (Melis et al., 2007, Melis et al., 2009, Succu et al., 2011, Succu et al., 2007).”
From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Melis et al., 2009
The effect of oxytocin stimulation of the amygdala and hippocampus on penile erection and accumbal dopamine is suggested to occur due to activation of glutamatergic projections from the amygdala and hippocampus that act to stimulate mesolimbic dopamine neurons within the VTA.
“This is suggested to occur due to activation of glutamatergic projections from the amygdala and hippocampus that act to stimulate mesolimbic dopamine neurons within the VTA (Melis et al., 2009, Succu et al., 2011).”
From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Melis et al., 2009
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- Authors
- Melis, M. R., Succu, S., Sanna, F., Boi, A., & Argiolas, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Cagliari (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Melis, Maria Rosaria
- Venue
- European Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-10
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 1349-1357
- ISSN
- 0953-816X (ISSN-L)
- 1460-9568
- OpenAlex
- W2118892605
- Cited by
- 72
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 6.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UNICA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (University of Cagliari) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Keywords
- oxytocin, penile erection, ventral subiculum, nucleus accumbens, extracellular dopamine, DOPAC, arginine vasotocin, dopamine receptor antagonism, NMDA receptor, ventral tegmental area, glutamatergic neurotransmission, sexual behavior, reward, male rats
- MeSH terms
- Amygdala, Animals, Dopamine, Extracellular Space, Hippocampus, Functional Laterality, Male, Neurons, Nucleus Accumbens, Oxytocin, Penile Erection, Penis, 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Ventral Tegmental Area, Glutamic Acid, Rats
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