Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of lisuride on precopulatory and copulatory behaviour of adult male rats

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Lisuride (12.5, 125, 250, 400, 600, 800μg/kg) injected IP 40 min prior to observation of adult, but sexually inexperienced, male rats (a) caused a dose-dependent increase in motor activity, (b) suppressed rearing completely at doses of 125 μg/kg and above, and (c) caused a dose-dependent increase of specific sniffing of the scent traces of an estrous female, the sniffing lasting the whole duration of a 5-min test at 800 μ/kg. In the presence of a passively receptive (lordotic) female, the amount of time devoted to sniffing of the scent traces decreased but was still dose-dependent. The males exhibited relatively more precopulatory behaviour towards the female at 400–800 μg/kg. The number of males initiating copulatory behaviour was small and comparable with saline-injected controls. When exposed to sexual stimuli from a weakly soliciting (presenting posture) female the number of lisuride-treated males (250 and 400 μg/kg doses were used) initiating copulation was higher in comparison with the controls. At the same time the males began to copulate mostly with short latencies and without any precopulatory behaviour towards the female. The lisuride-treated males reached ejaculation after a very small number of intromissions. The effects of lisuride are discussed from the point of view of lowered behavioural thresholds of the males to specific and distinct stimuli.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahlenius S, Larsson K, Svenson L (1980) Stimulating effects of lisuride on masculine sexual behaviour of rats. Eur J Pharmacol 64:47–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Beach FA, Levinson G (1950) Effects of androgen on the glans penis and mating behaviour of castrated male rats. J Exp Zool 114:159–171

    Google Scholar 

  • DaPrada M, Bonnetti EP, Keller HH (1977) Induction of mounting behaviour in female and male rats by lisuride. Neurosci Lett 6:349–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Gessa GL, Tagliamonte A (1975) Role of brain serotonin and dopamine in male sexual behaviour. In: Sandler M, Gessa GL (eds) Sexual behavior: Pharmacology and biochemistry. Raven, New York, pp 117–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Hliňák Z, Madlafousek J (1972) The dependence of sexual behaviour of inexperienced males on the precopulatory behaviour of females in albino rat. Physiol Bohemoslov 21:83–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Hliňák Z, Madlafousek J (1981) Estradiol treatment and precopulatory behavior in ovariectomized female rats. Physiol Behav 26:171–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Hliňák Z, Madlafousek J (1982) Initiation of copulatory behaviour in castrated male rats implanted with very small testosterone-filled silastic capsules. Endokrinologie 79:35–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Hliňák Z, Madlafousek J, Mohapelová A (1979) Initiation of copulatory behavior in castrated male rats injected with critically adjusted doses of testosterone. Hormone Behav 13:9–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowski R, Wachtel H (1979) Pharmacological effects of lisuride in rodents mediated by dopaminergic receptors. Mechanism of action and influence of chronic treatment with lisuride. Wenner-Gren Cent Int Symp Ser 31:237–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Kehr W (1977) Effect of lisuride and other ergot derivatives on monoaminergic mechanisms in rat brain. Eur J Pharmacol 41:261–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Madlafousek J, Hliňák Z (1977) Sexual behaviour of female laboratory rat: Inventory, patterning, and measurement. Behaviour 63:129–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Madlafousek J, Hliňák Z (1980) On the sexual dyad in laboratory rat. Act Nerv Super (Praha) 22:289–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Madlafousek J, Hliňák Z, Beran J (1976) Decline of sexual behavior in castrated male rats: Effects of female precopulatory behaviour. Horm Behav 7:245–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Marini JL, Jacobs BL, Sheard MH, Trulson ME (1981) Activity of a nonhallucinogenic ergoline derivative, lisuride, in an animal behavior model for hallucinogens. Psychopharmacol 73:328–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyerson B, Malmnäs CO (1978) Brain monoamines and sexual behavior. In: Hutchison JB (ed) Biological determinants of sexual behavior. Wiley, Chister, pp 521–554

    Google Scholar 

  • Phoenix CH, Copenhaver KH, Brenner RM (1976) Scanning electron microscopy of penile papillae in intact and castrated rats. Horm Behav 7:217–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Pieri M, Schaffner R, Pieri L, DaPrada M, Haefely W (1976) Turning in MFB-lesioned rats and antagonism of neuroleptic-induced catalepsy after lisuride and LSD. Life Sci 22:1615–1622

    Google Scholar 

  • Pottier JJG, Baran D (1973) A general behavioural syndrome associated with persistent failure to mate in the male laboratory rat. J Comp Physiol Psychol 83:499–509

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs BD, Barfield RJ (1976) Functional analysis of masculine copulatory behaviour in the rat. In: Advances in the study of behavior, vol VII. Academic, New York, pp 91–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Silbergeld EK, Hruska RE (1979) Lisuride and LSD: Dopaminergic and serotonergic interactions in the “Serotonine syndrome”. Psychopharmacology 65:233–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Whalen RE (1964) Hormone-induced changes in the organization of sexual behavior in the male rat. J Comp Physiol Psychol 57:175–182

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hliňák, Z., Madlafousek, J. & Krejčí, I. Effects of lisuride on precopulatory and copulatory behaviour of adult male rats. Psychopharmacology 79, 231–235 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427818

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427818

Key words

Navigation