Effects of thyroidectomy or thiouracil treatment on copulatory behavior in adult male rats

Male copulatory behavior and the function of the hypothalamo-hypophysial-gonadal axis in hypothyroid male rats were investigated in the present study. Hypothyroidism was induced by thyroidectomy or thiouracil. In male copulatory behavior test, intromission latencies in hypothyroid rats were significantly longer than those in euthyroid rats and ejaculation frequencies were reduced in hypothyroid male rats compared to control rats without reduction of plasma concentrations of testosterone. These changes in copulatory behavior in hypothyroid male rats were restored to control levels by administration of T4 (5 micrograms/rat). Hypothyroidism decreased adrenal weights, and basal and peak concentrations of corticosterone during diurnal variation, whereas it increased peak concentrations of ACTH in adult male rats. These results indicate that hypothyroidism causes adrenal dysfunction directly and results in hypersecretion of ACTH. The adrenal disturbance observed in hypothyroid rats may affect male copulatory behavior.