Abstract
In previous recording experiments it has been shown that the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) neurons increase their activity when penile erection occurs during paradoxical sleep. LDT neurons are thus involved in penile erection physiology. However their role during erection still remains to be determined.In head-restrained unanesthetized rats, brainstem areas from the caudal midbrain to the rostral pons were electrically stimulated using carbon fiber electrodes. Electrical stimulation consisted of rectangular pulses of less than 200 μA, 3 s, 50 Hz. In addition, cortical EEG, neck muscle EMG, Bulbospongious muscle (BS) EMG and pressure of the corpus spongiosum of the penis (CSP) were simultaneously recorded. Penile erection pressure was measured using a telemetric transducer. Histological brain sections were then made to confirm the position of the electrical stimulus. Penile erection could be evoked in and around the LDT and the midline area at the level of LDT. This study suggests that the LDT is involved in the regulation of penile erection. [Jpn J Physiol 54 Suppl:S209 (2004)]
