Abstract
We examined the putative functional role of the medial preoptic nucleusμ-receptor population in the expression of male copulatory behavior in sexually vigorous Long-Evans rats. In the first experiment, three doses of morphiceptin (10, 500, and 1000 ng) a selectiveμ-receptor agonist injected bilaterally into the medial preoptic nucleus, produced a marked delay in the initiation of male copulatory behavior compared to saline injected controls. These injections significantly lengthened intromission and mount latencies while having no appreciable effect on any other parameter of male copulatory behavior. In a separate experiment, the transient inhibition of the expression of male copulatory behavior was completely abolished following pretreatment of naloxone 20 minutes prior to bilateral injections of morphiceptin (1000 ng) into the medial preoptic nucleus. Collectively, these results suggest that the delay in the initiation of copulation that is commonly observed following peripheral or central injections of opioids is mediated at least in part byμ receptors located within the medial preoptic nucleus.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Band LC, Hull EM (1990) Morphine and dynorphin (1–13) microinjected into the medial preoptic area and nucleus accumbens: effects on sexual behavior in male rats. Brain Res 524:77–84
Chang KJ, Killian A, Hazum E, Cautrecasas P, Chang JK (1981) Morphiceptin (NH2-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Pro-CONH2): a potent and specific agonist for morphine (μ) receptors. Science 212:75–77
Chang KJ, Cautrecasas P, Wei ET, Chang JK (1982) Analgesic activity of introcerebroventricular administration of morphiceptin andβ-casomorphins: correlation with morphine (μ) receptor binding affinity. Life Sci 30:1547–1551
Dornan WA, Malsbury CW (1989) neuropeptides and male sexual behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 13:1–15
Dornan WA, Bloch G, Micevych PE (1989) Microinjection of cholecystokinin into the medial preoptic nucleus facilitates lordosis behavior in the female rat. Physiol Behav 45:969–974
Everitt BJ, Stacey P (1987) Studies of instrumental sexual behavior in the male rat using second order schedules of reinforcement II: Effects of preoptic area lesions, castration, and testosterone. J Comp Psychol 101:407–419
Gessa GL, Paglietti E, Pellegrini-Quarantotti B (1979) Induction of copulatory behavior in sexually inactive rats by naloxone. Science 204:203–205
Hammer RP, Dornan WA, Bloch GJ (1989) Sexual dimorphism and function ofμ-receptors in the rat medial preoptic area: involvement in the regulation of lordosis behavior. International Conference on Hormones, Brain and Behavior, European Society for Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry
Hughes AM, Everitt BJ, Herbert J (1987) Selective effects ofβ-endorphin infused into the hypothalamus, preoptic area and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis on the sexual and ingestive behavior of male rats. Neuroscience 23:1063–1073
Hughes AM, Everitt BJ, Herbert J (1990) Comparative effects of preoptic area infusions of opioid peptides, lesion, and castration on sexual behavior in male rats: studies of instrumental behavior, conditioned place preference and partner preference. Psychopharmacology 102:243–256
Kirk RE (1969) Experimental design: procedures for the behavioral sciences. Brooks/Cole, Belmont
Lee N, Smith A (1980) A protein-lipid model of the opiate receptor. Life Sci 26:1459–1464
Meyerson BJ, Terenius L (1977)β-endorphins and male sexual behavior. Eur J Pharmacol 42:191–192
Murphy MR (1981) Methadone reduces sexual performance and sexual motivation in the male syrian golden hamster. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 14:561–567
Paterson S, Robson L, Kosterlitz H (1983) Classification of opioid receptors. Br Med Bull 39:31–36
Pellegrini-Quarantotti B, Corda MG, Paglietti E, Biggio G, Gessa GL (1978) Inhibition of copulatory behavior in male rats byd-ala2-Met-Enkephalinamide. Life Sci 23:673–678
Pfaus JG, Gorzalka BB (1987a) Selective activation of opioid receptors differentially affects lordosis behavior in female rats. Peptides 8:309–317
Pfaus JG, Gorzalka BB (1987b) Opioids and sexual behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 11:1–34
Pfaus JG, Pendleton N, Gorzalka BB (1986) Dual effects of morphiceptin on lordosis behavior: possible mediation by different opioid receptors subtypes. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 24:1461–1464
Sachs BD, Meisel RL (1988) The physiology of male sexual behavior. In: Knobil E, Neill J (eds) The physiology of reproduction. Raven Press, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Preliminary reports were given at the Society For Neuroscience, St Louis, and the Conference on Reproductive Behavior, Atlanta, in 1990
Winner of “Honorable Mention” in the 1990 National Honor Society in Psychology, (J.P. Guilford Undergraduate Research Award Competition
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Matuszewich, L., Dornan, W.A. Bilateral injections of a selectiveμ-receptor agonist (morphiceptin) into the medial preoptic nucleus produces a marked delay in the initiation of sexual behavior in the male rat. Psychopharmacology 106, 391–396 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245424
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245424