Normal sexual behavior and penile reflexes in long-term diabetic male rats

Male rats made diabetic by streptozotocin injection were tested intermittently for copulation and penile reflexes. Eight to nine months later their bodies, penises, and seminal vesicles weighed significantly less than those of control-injected males, although serum androgen as well as penile and vas deferens norepinephrine levels were not significantly depressed. None of the measures of sexual motivation, performance, or penile responsivity was depressed in the diabetic rats, suggesting that rats are not a fruitful animal model for diabetic impotence.