Hormone treatment facilitates penile erection in castrated rats after sleep deprivation and cocaine

Sleep deprivation is associated with cocaine-enhanced genital reflexes in male rats, and castration of the male rat causes a decline in sexual behaviour, which can be reversed by hormone administration. We conducted two experiments to determine whether sleep deprivation and cocaine administration could also induce spontaneous penile erection in castrated rats after hormonal treatment (testosterone, progesterone and oestradiol). Different doses of hormones or vehicle were administered to rats during the 4-day period of sleep deprivation, and in home-cage control rats. Testosterone did not restore penile erection in castrated sleep-deprived rats. Progesterone triggered penile erection, and 100 mg/day of progesterone induced the highest proportion of rats displaying penile erection, and restored the frequency of penile erection observed in noncastrated sleep deprived rats. Penile erection was absent in vehicle as well as oestradiol-treated sleep-deprived castrated rats. Whereas sleep deprivation increased progesterone concentrations in noncastrated rats, sleep deprivation decreased progesterone concentrations in castrated rats. Corticosterone concentrations were lower in the castrated sleep-deprived rats than in respective control group. These data show that progesterone treatment facilitates penile erection in sleep deprived-cocaine castrated rats.