Pubertal pair-housing facilitates adult sexual behavior in male rats

This study examined the effects of pubertal testosterone (T) and social housing manipulations on male sexual behavior in adult rats. Prepubertal rats were castrated at 21 days of age (P21) and implanted with either blank or T-releasing pellets. At the onset of puberty, P28, half the rats in each treatment group were either single- or pair-housed with a male of the same hormone condition through P56, at which time pellets were removed and all rats were single-housed. In adulthood (P84), all rats received T replacement and were tested for sexual behavior. Rats pair-housed during adolescence showed more sexual behavior and greater improvement of sexual performance over repeated tests than single-housed rats, regardless of pubertal T status. Pubertal T, however, did facilitate the frequency of anogenital investigation. Thus, in male rats, social interactions during adolescence are more important than exposure to pubertal T in enhancing adult sexual behavior.