Oxytocin: an extremely potent inducer of penile erection and yawning in male rats.
Argiolas. A A; Melis. M R MR; Gessa. G L GL
Key Findings
- Oxytocin given intracerebroventricularly (5‑90 ng) reliably induced penile erection and yawning in male rats.
- Higher doses (>100 ng) and other related peptides did not produce these effects.
- The erection and yawning were prevented by atropine and morphine, but not by methylatropine or naloxone; haloperidol only partially reduced erection at high doses.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers, the study shows oxytocin can influence sexual function via central mechanisms, but the required delivery method (direct brain injection) is not feasible for humans. It suggests that peripheral oxytocin supplements are unlikely to replicate these effects, and any attempts to use oxytocin for erection should consider safety and the lack of practical dosing protocols.
Summary
In male rats, injecting oxytocin directly into the brain caused both erections and yawning, while higher doses or similar peptides did not. The effects were blocked by certain drugs (atropine, morphine) but not by others, suggesting specific pathways are involved.
Abstract
The intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of oxytocin, in doses ranging from 5 to 90 ng (5-90 pmol) induced penile erection and yawning in male rats. Such response was not induced by doses of the peptide higher than 100 ng, nor by equimolar doses of i.c.v. [Arg8]vasopressin, ACTH-(1-24), alpha-MSH, rat corticotropin-releasing factor (rCRF), delta sleep-inducing peptide, neurotensin or substance P. Oxytocin-induced penile erection and yawning were prevented by atropine and morphine, but not by methylatropine or the opiate antagonist naloxone. Haloperidol, a dopamine receptor antagonist, was ineffective at low doses; it partially prevented penile erection but not yawning at high doses. Since oxytocin is present not only in the neurohypophysis but also in other brain areas, our results suggest that oxytocin is implicated in the regulation of penile erection and yawning, and provide further evidence that oxytocin acts as a neuropeptide in the central nervous system.
Study Information
pubmed
1986
1986-11-04T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/0014-2999(86)90277-3
128
30