Does paradoxical sleep deprivation and cocaine induce penile erection and ejaculation in old rats?

A recent study has established that paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) and cocaine administration elicit genital reflexes (penile erection and ejaculation) in young rats. To discover whether the same effects occurred in old animals submitted to PSD, we administered cocaine (15 mg/kg) to young (3-month) and old (22-month) male rats after a 4-day period of PSD or at the equivalent time-point in control animals. We then evaluated erections and ejaculations. Sixty per cent of the old-PSD group displayed erection, although ejaculation was not observed. Genital reflexes were absent in young and old control groups. We found that PSD reduced testosterone and increased progesterone levels in both young and old PSD groups. In conclusion, our results suggest that although genital reflexes usually decrease with age, testosterone levels alone cannot account for these changes. The interaction of PSD and cocaine probably enhances dopamine transmission in the brain and may elicit penile erection in old rats.