Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2001; Vol. 109(2): 83-86
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-14827
Reviews

© Johann Ambrosius Barth

Oxytocin in the male: an old hormone growing sexy with age

G. P. McGregor, R. E. Lang
  • Institut für Normale und Pathologische Physiologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

Summary:

It has long been a mystery of oxytocin research that males have similar levels of the hormone in their blood as females, but there is no known function associated with this. This review brings together some diverse literature to point out a possible role of oxytocin in the context of stress and sexuality.

References

  • 1 Altemus M, Deuster P A, Galliven E, Carter C S, Gold P W. Suppression of hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal axis responses to stress in lactating women.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 80 2954-2959 1995; 
  • 2 Argiolas A, Melis M R, Gessa G L. Oxytocin: an extremely potent inducer of penile erection and yawning in male rats.  Eur J Pharmacol. 130 265-272 1986; 
  • 3 Bruhn T O, Sutton S W, Plotsky P M, Vale W W. Central administration of corticotropin-releasing factor modulates oxytocin secretion in the rat.  Endocrinology. 119 1558-1563 1986; 
  • 4 Dula E, Keating W, Siami P F, Edmonds A, O'Neil J, Buttler S. Efficacy and safety of fixed-dose and dose-optimization regimens of sublingual apomorphine versus placebo in men with erectile dysfunction.  The Apomorphine Study Group.. Urology 56 130-135 2000; 
  • 5 Engelmann M, Wotjak C T, Ebner K, Landgraf R. Behavioural impact of intraseptally released vasopressin and oxytocin in rats.  Exp Physiol. 125S-130S 2000; 
  • 6 Fruhstorfer B, Pritsch M G, Ott P, Sturm G. Effects of daytime noise load on the sleep-wake cycle and endocrine patterns in man: II. 24 hours secretion of anterior and posterior pituitary hormones and of cortisol.  Int J Neurosci. 39 211-221 1988; 
  • 7 Insel T R, Winslow J T, Wang Z, Young L Y. Oxytocin, vasopressin, and the neuroendocrine basis of pair bond formation.  Adv Exp Med Biol. 449 215-224 1998; 
  • 8 Ivell R, Bathgate R A, Walther N, Kimura T. The molecular basis of oxytocin and oxytocin receptor gene expression in reproductive tissues.  Adv Exp Med Biol. 449 297-306 1998; 
  • 9 Lang R E, Heil J, Ganten D, Hermann K, Rascher W, Unger T. Effects of lesions in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus on vasopressin and oxytocin contents in brainstem and spinal cord of rat.  Brain Res. 260 326-329 1983; 
  • 10 Lang R E, Heil J W, Ganten D, Hermann K, Unger T, Rascher W. Oxytocin unlike vasopressin is a stress hormone in the rat.  Neuroendocrinology. 37 314-316 1983; 
  • 11 Leake R D, Weitzman R E, Glatz T H, Fisher D A. Plasma oxytocin concentrations in men, nonpregnant women, and pregnant women before and during spontaneous labor.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 53 730-733 1981; 
  • 12 Lidberg L, Sternthal V. A new approach to the hormonal treatment of impotentia erectionis.  Pharmakopsychiatr Neuropsychopharmakol. 10 21-25 1977; 
  • 13 Melis M R, Argiolas A, Stancampiano R, Gessa G L. Effect of apomorphine on oxytocin concentrations in different brain areas and plasma of male rats.  Eur J Pharmacol. 182 101-107 1990; 
  • 14 Murphy M R, Seckl J R, Burton S, Checkley S A, Lightman S L. Changes in oxytocin and vasopressin secretion during sexual activity in men.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 65 738-741 1987; 
  • 15 Neumann I D, Torner L, Wigger A. Brain oxytocin: differential inhibition of neuroendocrine stress responses and anxiety-related behaviour in virgin, pregnant and lactating rats.  Neuroscience. 95 567-575 2000; 
  • 16 Nicholson H D, Parkinson T J, Lapwood K R. Effects of oxytocin and vasopressin on sperm transport from the cauda epididymis in sheep.  J Reprod Fertil. 117 299-305 1999; 
  • 17 Nishimori K, Young L J, Guo Q, Wang Z, Insel T R, Matzuk M M. Oxytocin is required for nursing but is not essential for parturition or reproductive behavior.  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 93 11699-11704 1996; 
  • 18 Nussey S S, Ang V T, Finer N, Jenkins J S. Responses of neurohypophysial peptides to hypertonic saline and insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in man.  Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 24 97-105 1986; 
  • 19 Nussey S S, Page S R, Ang V T, Jenkins J S. The response of plasma oxytocin to surgical stress.  Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 28 277-282 1988; 
  • 20 Ogawa S, Kudo S, Kitsunai Y, Fukuchi S. Increase in oxytocin secretion at ejaculation in male.  Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 13 95-97 1980; 
  • 21 Palkovits M. Interconnections between the neuroendocrine hypothalamus and the central autonomic system. Geoffrey Harris Memorial Lecture, Kitakyushu, Japan, October 1998.  Front Neuroendocrinol. 20 270-295 1999; 
  • 22 Veronneau L F, Rampin O, Freund M M, Tang Y, Calas A, Marson L, McKenna K E, Stoeckel M E, Benoit G, Giuliano F. Oxytocinergic innervation of autonomic nuclei controlling penile erection in the rat.  Neuroscience. 93 1437-1447 1999; 
  • 23 Weitzman R E, Glatz T H, Fisher D A. The effect of hemorrhage and hypertonic saline upon plasma oxytocin and arginine vasopressin in conscious dogs.  Endocrinology. 103 2154-2160 1978; 
  • 24 Williams T D, Abel D C, King C M, Jelley R Y, Lightman S L. Vasopressin and oxytocin responses to acute and chronic osmotic stimuli in man.  J Endocrinol. 108 163-168 1986; 
  • 25 Windle R J, Shanks N, Lightman S L, Ingram C D. Central oxytocin administration reduces stress-induced corticosterone release and anxiety behavior in rats.  Endocrinology. 138 2829-2834 1997; 
  • 26 Yanagimoto M, Honda K, Goto Y, Negoro H. Afferents originating from the dorsal penile nerve excite oxytocin cells in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of the rat.  Brain Res. 733 292-296 1996; 

Prof. Dr. R. E. Lang

Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology

Philipps-Universität Marburg

Deutschhausstr. 2

D-35037 Marburg

Germany

Phone: +49-6421-2865427

Fax: +49-6421-2862306

Email: langr@mailer.uni-marburg.de

    >