Opioid and Male Sex Behavior

Opioids have been shown to stimulate male sex behavior.

Mehrara and Baum (1990):

• Results:

  • administration of naloxone decreased time spent in the chamber associated with mating (e.g., loss in conditioned place preference)
  • administration of naloxone also decreased time spent in the chamber associated with mating in males 7 days after castration, but not 14 days, after castration

• Conclusion:

  • opioids act to facilitate conditioned place preference (blocking opioid activity can blockthis response)
  • the ability of opioids to facilitate conditioned place preference is lost at 14 days postcastration
  • opioids act to stimulate dopamine release from neurons within the VTA; dopamine neurons in VTA project to NAcc; NAcc is involved in motivational processes

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