Facilitation and inhibition of the urethrogenital reflex in spinal cord-transected rats

It was evaluated in the spinal cord-transected rats whether the urethrogenital (UG) reflex shows some of the features that are present during ejaculation in intact animals. It was found that the UG reflex was facilitated after its first elicitation: the latency of the reflex was shorter than the previous one and low intensity of stimulation was needed to produce the reflex. In addition, a change in the latency of the reflex was found that was correlated with the number of stimulation trials. The latency change showed a J-shaped curve that is similar to that found for the ejaculation latency in a copulatory series. An inhibition of the reflex appeared after several trials: the reflex could not be elicited after three continuous trials. The reflex could be elicited again if the intensity of stimulation was increased. The UG reflex also showed 'exhaustion': it could not be elicited, even with high intensities of stimulation. after 3 h of rest. All these findings were present when the UG reflex was elicited by applying pressure to the urethra or when it was evoked by the electrical stimulation to the pudendal nerve. According to these findings, it can be concluded that the UG reflex maintains some of the features that are found during ejaculation in intact animals. According to this view, it can be speculated that some of the mechanisms that control ejaculation in intact animals can be localized at a spinal level. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.