Sexual Behavior in the Course of Avoidance Conditioning in Male Rabbits

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Abstract
The experiments were performed on 55 male rabbits. Avoidance conditioned reflex was set up in a shuttlebox. In the early acquisition period of conditioning as the result of conditioned fear the sexual drive became inhibited. This inhibition could be prevented by testosterone pretreatment. A gradual increase in sexual activity could be observed during the next days. ACTH given intravenously resulted in a complete cessation of both sexual activity and conditioned reflex activity. However, while hydro-cortisone in itself did not influence male sexual behavior, hydrocorti-sone in itself did not influence male sexual behavior, hydrocortisone pretreatment led to the prevention of ACTH-induced inhibition. The experiments revealed that the administration of ACTH resulted in a situation-dependent inhibition of sexual behavior. The ACTH-taduced changes could be demonstrated on eeg recordings; slow potentials bursts of activity and the suppression of eeg arousal reaction developed. The changes were temporary in character.

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