Progesterone reduces erectile dysfunction in sleep-deprived spontaneously hypertensive rats

Abstract

Background: Paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) associated with cocaine has been shown to enhance genital reflexes (penile erection-PE and ejaculation-EJ) in Wistar rats. Since hypertension predisposes males to erectile dysfunction, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of PSD on genital reflexes in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) compared to the Wistar strain. We also extended our study to examine how PSD affect steroid hormone concentrations involved in genital events in both experimental models.

Impact of androgen deprivation therapy on sexual function

“…40 In contrast, when progesterone was administered, penile erection was shown to be significantly increased. 37 This suggests that progesterone has an effect on erectile responses. As suggested by the significant decrease observed in the duration of sleep deprivation episodes in male rats under mifepristone, it could be postulated that progesterone exerts a central effect.…”

“…Nevertheless, in the same study, DHT was shown to be the one of the androgens with the highest potency to stimulate penile epithelium growth due to its higher peripheral androgenic potency. As well, recent studies [35][36][37][38][39] have established that paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) and cocaine administration induced genital reflexes (penile erection and ejaculation) in adult and old rats. However, in those studies, testosterone levels were lower in the PSD arms than in the control, while progesterone and corticosterone levels were increased.…”

“…42 Nevertheless, this equilibrium is fragile and some studies have shown that the environment can also impact on it. Indeed, some stressors such as food restriction, [43][44][45] sleep deprivation [35][36][37][38][39] and exposure to the radiofrequency emitted by a conventional mobile phone 46,47 have been shown to be able to cause a stress sufficient enough to disturb it.…”

Hormonal profile, the PROGINS polymorphism, and erectile dysfunction complaints: data from a population-based survey

“…T has been clearly linked to behavior and sexual function in men (7,35), with influence on sexual desire, sexual thoughts, the intensity of sexual feelings, and sexual activity (36,37). Studies using animal models have also described a decrease in T concentration and a higher frequency of erections in sleep-deprived rats (8)(9)(10).…”

“…Sexual behavior in P-sensitive castrated male lizards was restored by synthetic progestin agonists (4), an effect shown to be mediated by binding the P receptor (PR) (5). Studies with sleep-deprived rats have demonstrated that these animals have significantly increased P concentrations and a higher frequency of erections (6)(7)(8)(9). Furthermore, pretreatment with mifepristone, a PR antagonist, significantly reduced the frequency of erections in sleep-deprived rats compared with controls (10).…”