Central oxytocinergic and dopaminergic mechanisms regulating penile erection in conscious rats.

Martino B, Hsieh GC, Hollingsworth PR, Mikusa JP, Moreland RB, Bitner RS

Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior1 Aug 2005Cited by 8 (Europe PMC)

PMID16005055DOI10.1016/j.pbb.2005.06.003PepBankPUB-16005055

Publisher page PubMedAsk about this study

Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study5

2 results from studies that gave the peptide. No result from this study comes from people.

01AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In conscious rats, intracerebroventricular oxytocin produced dose-related erectogenic effects, with a maximum at 0.1 microg/rat.
In plain wordsIn rats, oxytocin given into the brain ventricles caused penile erections that rose with the dose.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreasePenile erection after intracerebroventricular oxytocin
Study
ratn: not reported in source
conscious rat
Outcome group
Sexual function · Reproductive and sexual health
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intracerebroventricularAs given in this study (rat).
Measurements
Maximal effective dose
0.1 microg/rat
i.c.v.
Source sentences
Summary
Oxytocin, when administrated either intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) or intrathecally (i.t.) at the spinal levels of L4-L6, produced dose-related erectogenic effects with a maximum at 0.1 microg/rat i.c.v. or 0.03 microg/rat i.t.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
A series of in vivo studies in a conscious rat model was conducted to investigate the role of oxytocinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission in the central regulation of penile erection.
Report a problemFND-1600505501
02AnimalAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In conscious rats, intrathecal oxytocin at spinal levels L4-L6 produced dose-related erectogenic effects, with a maximum at 0.03 microg/rat.
In plain wordsIn rats, oxytocin given into the lower spine caused penile erections that rose with the dose.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
IncreasePenile erection after intrathecal oxytocin (L4-L6)
Study
ratn: not reported in source
conscious rat
Outcome group
Sexual function · Reproductive and sexual health
Studied dose
Dose not stated · intrathecalAs given in this study (rat).
Measurements
Maximal effective dose
0.03 microg/rat
i.t.
Source sentences
Summary
Oxytocin, when administrated either intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) or intrathecally (i.t.) at the spinal levels of L4-L6, produced dose-related erectogenic effects with a maximum at 0.1 microg/rat i.c.v. or 0.03 microg/rat i.t.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
A series of in vivo studies in a conscious rat model was conducted to investigate the role of oxytocinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission in the central regulation of penile erection.
Report a problemFND-1600505502

Studies that did not test the peptide alone3

In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Oxytocin.

03AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In conscious rats, the selective oxytocin antagonist attenuated oxytocin-evoked penile activity.
In plain wordsIn rats, a drug that blocks oxytocin reduced the penile activity that oxytocin caused.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseOxytocin-evoked penile activity with oxytocin antagonist
Study
ratn: not reported in source
conscious rat
Comparator
Oxytocin alone
Outcome group
Sexual function · Reproductive and sexual health
Source sentences
Summary
Oxytocin-evoked penile activity was attenuated by the inhibitory effect of the selective oxytocin antagonist vasotocin analog [Pmp-Tyr(Me)-Ile-Thr-Asn-Cys]-Pro-Orn-Tyr-NH2 (0.1-1 microg, i.c.v. or i.t.).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
A series of in vivo studies in a conscious rat model was conducted to investigate the role of oxytocinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission in the central regulation of penile erection.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-1600505503
04AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In conscious rats, the dopaminergic antagonist clozapine blocked oxytocin-induced penile erection in a dose-dependent manner.
In plain wordsIn rats, clozapine blocked the penile erections that oxytocin caused, and a higher dose blocked more.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseOxytocin-induced erection with clozapine
Study
ratn: not reported in source
conscious rat
Comparator
Oxytocin alone
Outcome group
Sexual function · Reproductive and sexual health
Source sentences
Summary
Penile erection induced by oxytocin was blocked by the dopaminergic receptor antagonist clozapine (1-10 micromol/kg i.p.) in a dose-dependent manner.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
A series of in vivo studies in a conscious rat model was conducted to investigate the role of oxytocinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission in the central regulation of penile erection.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-1600505504
05AnimalNot a test of Oxytocin aloneAnimal study (in vivo)Efficacy outcome
In conscious rats, local oxytocin antagonist significantly attenuated the pro-erectile effects of systemic apomorphine.
In plain wordsIn rats, a drug that blocks oxytocin reduced the erections caused by apomorphine.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseApomorphine-induced erection with oxytocin antagonist
Study
ratn: not reported in source
conscious rat
Comparator
Apomorphine alone
Outcome group
Sexual function · Reproductive and sexual health
Source sentences
Summary
Conversely, oxytocin antagonist microinjected locally (i.c.v. or i.t.) significantly attenuated the pro-erectile effects of systemic (s.c.) apomorphine, a centrally acting erectogenic agent through dopaminergic receptors.
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
A series of in vivo studies in a conscious rat model was conducted to investigate the role of oxytocinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission in the central regulation of penile erection.
In this study, Oxytocin was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Oxytocin.
Report a problemFND-1600505505

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 20:03 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:50 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

Publication types

MeSH terms

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