DIFFERENTIAL REACTIVITY OF INDIVIDUALS AND THE RESPONSE OF THE MALE GUINEA PIG TO TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE1

Abstract

12.5, 25, 50, or 100 ug. of testosterone propionate 100 g. body wt. daily led to the demonstration that the strength of sex drive displayed by individuals during therapy is similar to that shown prior to castration. With androgen therapy, animals that exhibited high drive prior to gonadectomy returned to the high level, while the animals that were low drive returned to the low level. From the results obtained when the tissues mediating sexual behavior in the male guinea pig were used as the target organ, much of the difference between individuals is attributable to the reactivity of the tissues rather than to differences in the amt. of hormone. The strength of the reaction to the androgen was not altered by a 4- to 8-fold increase in dosage.