Does sleep deprivation interfere with sexual behavior in males rats?

In spite of the constellation of well-documented behavioral and neuropharmacological consequences brought upon by paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD), sexual behavior remains little investigated. Similarly, drug addiction has been the target of a great deal of research, but it remains resistant to being examined for its effects over sexual behavior. Thus, this review attempts to provide an overall understanding of the components of sexual behavior and of how sleep deprivation associated to drugs of abuse affects this behavior. Recent data have demonstrated that PSD induces spontaneous erections and ejaculation in rats, and this effect was potentiated by cocaine. In addition to the hormonal aspects we also verified possible mechanisms of neurotransmission involved in the genital reflexes of PSD rats. The study of genital reflexes in sleep deprived rats and treated with cocaine (and other drugs of abuse) could shed some light over one of these three variables (sleep, drugs of abuse and sexual behavior), as well as their possible interactions.