Gabriela Rodriguez Manzo - CHOLINERGIC-DOPAMINERGIC INTERACTION IN THE SEXUAL SATIETY PHENOMENON: ROLE OF NICOTINIC RECEPTORS

Julio del 2023

Invitamos a leer el artículo: "CHOLINERGIC-DOPAMINERGIC INTERACTION IN THE SEXUAL SATIETY PHENOMENON: ROLE OF NICOTINIC RECEPTORS", en la que colaboró la Dra. Gabriela Rodriguez Manzo, Investigadora de Cinvestav Sede Sur

Autores: Gabriela Rodriguez-Manzo, Ana Evelia Hernández-Colin

Abstract: The sexual satiety phenomenon consists of a long-term sexual behavior inhibition resulting from intense copulation. Several studies suggest the involvement of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system (MSL) in this phenomenon. Copulation is a rewarding behavior that activates the MSL and the MSL regulates sexual motivation. Previous studies from our laboratory show that during the sexual inhibition of satiated rats, dopamine (DA) concentrations in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) are diminished. There is also evidence showing that acetylcholine (ACh) modulates the level of DA in the NAcc and that both neurotransmitters regulate the expression of motivated behaviors in the MSL. The present study tested the hypothesis that copulation until satiety increases cholinergic neurotransmission at the NAcc that contributes to the establishment and maintenance of the sexual inhibition of sexually satiated rats, through nicotinic receptor (nAChR) activation. We tested if blockade of nAChR by the systemic administration of the antagonist mecamylamine during copulation to satiety would interfere with the establishment of the sexual inhibition and if it would reverse the established sexual inhibition 24 h after satiety. We also investigated if the dopaminergic and cholinergic systems interacted for sexual satiety reversal. Our results showed that mecamylamine regulates sexual behavior of sexually experienced male rats in a dose-dependent manner, interferes with the establishment of the sexual inhibition in male rats that copulated to satiety, and reversed the established sexual inhibition. The sexual satiety reversal produced by mecamylamine was blocked by a dopamine receptor antagonist. We conclude that during copulation to satiety there is ACh release that contributes to the establishment of the sexual inhibition of satiated rats through the activation of nAChR and participates as well in the maintenance of their sexual inhibitory state, also through nAChR activation, and that cholinergic and dopaminergic systems seem to interact for the reversal of the sexual inhibition in satiated rats.