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Serotonin impairs copulation and attenuates ejaculation-induced glutamate activity in the medial preoptic area.

Juan M JM Dominguez and Elaine M EM Hull

Behav Neurosci 124(4):554-7 (2010) PMID 20695654

The medial preoptic area (MPOA) is critical for male sexual behavior. Glutamate is released in the MPOA of male rats during copulation, and increasing glutamate levels by reverse dialysis of glutamate uptake inhibitors facilitates mating. Conversely, increased release of serotonin (5-HT) inhibits sexual behavior. In both rats and men, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) impair erection, ejaculation, and libido. Here we reverse-dialyzed 5-HT through concentric microdialysis probes in the MPOA of male rats; concurrently we collected 2-min samples for analysis of glutamate and measured sexual behavior. Sexual activity, and especially ejaculation, increased levels of glutamate in the MPOA. However, reverse dialysis of 5-HT into the MPOA impaired ejaculatory ability and attenuated glutamate release. Implications of these results for impairment of sexual behavior that results from administration of SSRIs are discussed.

DOI: 10.1037/a0020353
Version: za2963e q8zac q8zbe q8zca q8zdb q8zed q8zfe q8zgf

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