Dopamine–oxytocin interactions in penile erection
Abstract
Dopamine and oxytocin have established roles in the central regulation of penile erection in rats; however, the neural circuitries involved in a specific erectile context and the interaction between dopamine and oxytocin mechanisms remain to be elucidated. The medial preoptic area (MPOA), supraoptic nucleus (SON) and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus may serve as candidate sites because they contain oxytocin cells, receive dopaminergic inputs and have been implicated in mediating masculine sexual behavior. Double immunofluorescence revealed that substantial numbers of oxytocin cells in the MPOA, SON and PVN possess dopamine D(2), D(3) and D(4) receptors. In anaesthetized rats, using intracavernous pressure as a physiological indicator of erection, blockade of lumbosacral oxytocin receptors (UK, 427843) reduced erectile responses to a nonselective dopamine agonist (apomorphine), suggesting that dopamine recruits a paraventriculospinal oxytocin pathway. In conscious males in the absence of a female, penile erection elicited by a D(2)/D(3) (Quinelorane) but not D(4) (PD168077) agonist was associated with activation of medial parvocellular PVN oxytocin cells. In another experiment where males were given full access to a receptive female, a D(4) (L-745870) but not D(2) or D(3) antagonist (L-741626; nafadotride) inhibited penile erection (intromission), and this was correlated with SON magnocellular oxytocin neuron activation. Together, the data suggest dopamine's effects on hypothalamic oxytocin cells during penile erection are context-specific. Dopamine may act via different parvocellular and magnocellular oxytocin subpopulations to elicit erectile responses, depending upon whether intromission is performed. This study demonstrates the potential existence of interaction between central dopamine and oxytocin pathways during penile erection, with the SON and PVN serving as integrative sites.
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The VTA, NAc, and AMY express both OXTR and DA receptors.
“In addition, the VTA, NAc, and AMY express both OXTR and DA receptors (Baskerville et al., 2009; Buijs et al., 1984; Roeling et al., 1993).”
From Convergence of oxytocin and dopamine signalling in neuronal circuits: Insights into the neurobiology of social interactions across species (2024) · cites this paper as Baskerville et al., 2009
Oxytocinergic neurons express dopamine receptors.
“oxytocinergic neurons are susceptible to modulation by dopamine themselves as they also express dopamine receptors (Baskerville et al., 2009).”
From Oxytocin, motivation and the role of dopamine (2014) · cites this paper as Baskerville et al., 2009
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“In addition, the VTA, NAc, and AMY express both OXTR and DA receptors (Baskerville et al., 2009; Buijs et al., 1984; Roeling et al., 1993).”
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- Authors
- Baskerville, T. A., Allard, J., Wayman, C., & Douglas, A. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Glasgow (GB)
- Pfizer (United Kingdom) (GB)
- University of Edinburgh (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Baskerville, T. A.
- Venue
- European Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-11-30
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2151-2164
- ISSN
- 0953-816X (ISSN-L)
- 1460-9568
- OpenAlex
- W2136148814
- Cited by
- 105
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 7.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust
- Pfizer Pharmaceuticals
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Keywords
- penile erection, dopamine, oxytocin, medial preoptic area, supraoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, hypothalamus, D2/D3 dopamine receptors, dopamine D4 receptor, apomorphine, quinolones, intromission, sexual behavior
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Apomorphine, Blood Pressure, Dopamine, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug Interactions, Hormone Antagonists, Injections, Intraventricular, Male, Oxytocin, Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus, Penile Erection, Preoptic Area, Receptors, Dopamine, Sexual Behavior, Animal, Spinal Cord, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Receptors, Oxytocin, Dopamine Agonists, Dopamine Antagonists, Statistics, Nonparametric, Rats
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