Effects of Alternative Social Experience on the Sexual Function of Male Mice

Abstract

The relevance of the social contact test "Wall" for evaluation of sexual motivation of male mice was tested and confirmed. Motivation of C57BL/6J male mice with alternative social experience (winners and victims in 10 and 20 daily male-male confrontations) was evaluated. Elevated primary sexual interest was detected in aggressive animals after 10 confrontations, while in submissive animals this interest was decreased; however after 20 confrontations sexual motivation in both groups was characterized by rapid exhaustion and low basal level of testosterone. Hence, the sexual function of male mice is inhibited under conditions of long social conflicts irrespective of previous experience of victories or defeats in male-male confrontations.

Effect of diazepam on anxiety, sexual motivation, and blood testosterone in anxious male mice

“…In control males, the total duration of the reaction to female in the last session of the test did not differ from the value measured during the first 5 min of the communication. By contrast, in anxious males the time spent near the partition in the last session was shorter than that during the first session, which attests to exhaustion of sexual motivation [2].…”

“…In addition, test for sexual motivation was carried out to assess the intensity and stability of the behavioral reaction to estrous female of the same genotype behind the perforated transparent partition [2]. The behavioral reactions of males were examined in a 30-min test consisting of 4 successive 5-min sessions (2 sessions in the beginning and 2 sessions before the end of the test).…”

GABA in regulation of communicative activity and sexual motivation of male mice with different psychoemotional status

“…In aggressive males the duration of contacts with the female decreased in the last session of the test in comparison with session 1. The results indicate instability of sexual motivation of males taking part in long-lasting social conflicts [1,2].…”

“…Sexual motivation testing is used for evaluation of the intensity and stability of reaction of a male to an estrus female behind a transparent wall with holes [1]. The behavioral reaction of males was studied for 30 min by a series of 5-min sessions.…”