Reduction of drug‐induced yawning and penile erection and of noncontact erections in male rats by the activation of GABAAreceptors in the paraventricular nucleus: involvement of nitric oxide

The effect of muscimol, a GABAA receptor agonist, injected into the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus on drug-induced (apomorphine, oxytocin and NMDA) yawning and penile erection, and on the increase in the concentration of NO2- and NO3- occurring in the paraventricular dialysate in these experimental conditions, was studied in male rats. Muscimol (50, 100 and 200 ng) reduced, in a dose-dependent manner, penile erection and yawning induced by apomorphine (50 ng), oxytocin (30 ng) and NMDA (50 ng) delivered into the PVN. The reduction of penile erection and yawning was parallel to a reduction of the concomitant NO2- and NO3- increase that occurs in the paraventricular dialysate in this experimental condition. In contrast, baclofen (200 ng), a GABAB receptor agonist, was ineffective. The muscimol effects on drug-induced penile erection, yawning and NO2- increase were prevented by the prior administration of bicuculline (250 ng into the paraventricular nucleus). Muscimol (200 ng) but not baclofen (200 ng), injected into the PVN, reduced both noncontact erections in male rats placed in the presence of an inaccessible receptive female, and also the NO2- increase that occurs in the paraventricular dialysate in this experimental condition. As found with drug-induced penile erection, the muscimol reduction of noncontact erections and of NO2- increase was prevented by bicuculline. The present results show that the activation of GABAA receptors in the PVN reduces yawning and penile erection induced by drugs or physiological stimuli by reducing the increase in NO activity that occurs in this hypothalamic nucleus in these experimental conditions.