Dissociation of Androgenic Effects on Sexual Morphology and Behavior in Male Rats

Abstract

Seven male rats of proven copulatory ability were castrated and retested for mating activity 45 and 49 days later. Five animals showed no sexual responses and the remaining 2 exhibited incomplete and infrequent mating reactions. All rats then received 28 daily injections containing 0.5 mg of fluoxy-mesterone and were tested with sexually receptive females once each week. After the 4th test the seminal vesicles and glans penis were prepared for histological study. Five individuals showed no copulatory behavior at any time. Two performed at subnormal levels but were more more active than they had been prior to treatment. The condition of the seminal vesicles and glans penis was normal, showing no signs of castration effects. Fluoxymesterone appears to exert strong andro-genic effects upon accessory sexual structures but not upon the central nervous mechanisms that mediate mating behavior.