Role of amygdala in mediating sexual and emotional behavior via coupled nitric oxide release

Although the anatomical configuration of the amygdala has been studied a great deal, very little research has been conducted on understanding the precise mechanism by which this emotional regulatory center exerts its control on emotional and sexual behavior. By applying research methodology from the Neuroscience Research Institute, State University of New York, College at Old Westbury, we intended to demonstrate that much of the mediated effects of the amygdala, specifically the regulation of the male and female sexual response cycles, as well as related emotional considerations, exert their effects coupled to nitric oxide (NO) release. Furthermore, by using current anatomical and histological data, we demonstrated that amygdalar tissue rich in endocannabinoid and opiate, as well as catecholamine, receptors could exert its neurochemical effects within an NO-mediated paradigm. This paradigm, together with the existence of estrogen and androgen signaling within the amygdala, further lends credence to our theoretical framework. We begin with a brief anatomical and functional review of amygdalar function, and then proceed to demonstrate its relationship with NO.