Compulsive Sexual Activity Induced by p-Chlorophenylalanine in Normal and Pinealectomized Male Rats

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 166; no. 3911; pp. 1433 - 1435
• Main Authors: Tagliamonte, Alessandro, Tagliamonte, Paola, Gessa, Gian L., Brodie, Bernard B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association for the Advancement of Science 12.12.1969
• Subjects: 5-Hydroxytryptophan - pharmacology; Animals; Brain; Brain Chemistry; Chloramines - pharmacology; Compulsive Behavior - drug effects; Food; Human sexual behavior; Humans; Male; Male animals; Mating behavior; Mental stimulation; Norepinephrine; Pargyline - pharmacology; Phenylalanine - pharmacology; Pineal Gland - surgery; Rats; Serotonin Antagonists; Serotonin receptors; Sexual Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Sugars
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.166.3911.1433

p-Chlorophenylalanine depletes brain serotonin and induces long-lasting sexual excitation in male rats. The effect of p-chlorophenylalanine is potentiated by pargyline. Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan to rats treated with p-chlorophenylalanine plus pargyline blocks the sexual excitation. p-Chlorophenylalanine also elicits sexual excitation in pinealectomized rats; this effect is not mediated by the lack of indole hormones in the pineal but may be the consequence of depletion of 5-hydroxytryptophan in the brain and the resulting imbalance between 5-hydroxytryptophan and catecholamine activity in the central nervous system.