Intermesenteric nerve-evoked female sexual response
Objectives
In women, orgasm is associated with rhythmic contractions of the pelvic striated circumvaginal musculature, often with concomitant uterine and anal sphincter contractions (Meston et al., 2004). During female orgasm increases in vaginal pressure, as well as morphological variations of the vagina have also been reported. We have developed a reliable and standardized experimental model in anesthetized female rats to investigate the physiology/pharmacology of peripheral physiological events associated with female orgasm.
Summarized methodology
In this model, physiological events associated with female orgasm are elicited by electrical intermesenteric nerve stimulation in anesthetized female rats. Intermesenteric nerves are placed on bipolar platinum stimulating electrodes connected to an electrical stimulator delivering a series of square-wave pulses while direct measurements of intravaginal pressure variations and pubococcygeus muscle contractions are performed. For each parameter, we determined the baseline value before the stimulation and the maximal value reached with the stimulation.
Endpoints
Primary endpoints :
- Intravaginal pressure variations
- Pubococcygeus muscle contractions
Secondary endpoints :
- arterial blood pressure
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