Is β-endorphin significant in the control of the male sexual response?

Ueckert, Stefan; Becker, Armin J.; Bannowsky, Andreas; Stief, Christian G. and Kuczyk, Markus A. (2018): Is β-endorphin significant in the control of the male sexual response? In: Andrologia, Vol. 50, No. 7, e13049

Abstract

It has been assumed that -endorphin, belonging to the family of opiodergic neuropeptides, might facilitate the inhibition of the male sexual response;however, its role in the control of the penile erectile tissue remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate in healthy men the course of -endorphin in the systemic and cavernous blood through different stages of sexual arousal. Thirty-four (34) men were exposed to erotic stimuli to induce penile tumescence and rigidity. Blood was aspirated from the corpus cavernosum and a cubital vein during the penile conditions flaccidity, tumescence, rigidity and detumescence. Plasma levels of -endorphin were determined by means of radioimmunometric methods. The effects of -endorphin on isolated human penile erectile tissue were investigated in vitro. -endorphin did not induce a contractile response of the cavernous tissue or reverse the contraction induced by noradrenaline. -endorphin decreased in the systemic blood when the penis became tumescent and rigid and increased during detumescence. In the cavernous blood, no alterations in -endorphin concentrations were observed. The drop in -endorphin observed during tumescence and rigidity seems likely to reflect the inhibition of the opioidergic input with the beginning of sexual arousal.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 0303-4569
• Language: English