Intra-VTA anandamide infusion produces dose-based biphasic effects on male rat sexual behavior expression

Sexual behavior is a natural reward and the mesolimbic (MSL) system is involved in the processing of its motivational component and reinforcing properties. Endocannabinoids control rewarding behaviors through the modulation of MSL system's activity. The endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA), systemically administered, produces dose-based, biphasic effects on male rat copulation, facilitating its expression at low doses in both, sexually experienced and sexually exhausted male rats. We hypothesized that AEA's sexual facilitative effects might be exerted at the MSL circuit. Therefore, in this work different AEA doses were bilaterally infused into the VTA of sexually experienced or sexually exhausted animals and their copulatory behavior recorded. Results showed that the lowest AEA dose tested lacked an effect, intermediate doses facilitated specific sexual parameters, and the highest dose inhibited copulation of sexually experienced males. In sexually exhausted animals low AEA doses reversed the sexual inhibition that characterizes sexual satiety, but this effect was lost at higher doses. Together, these data show that the VTA is a target for AEA's biphasic sexual effects suggesting a role of the MLS system in the actions of endocannabinoids on male rat sexual behavior.