PARTICIPATION OF PELVIC NERVE BRANCHES IN MALE-RAT COPULATORY-BEHAVIOR

The role of the pelvic nerve branches in the mediation of copulatory b ehavior was investigated. The somatomotor or the viscerocutaneous bran ch of the pelvic nerve was bilaterally sectioned in sexually experienc ed male rats. Somatomotor branch surgery had no detectable effect. Vis cerocutaneous branch transection altered copulatory parameters that re flect impairments in penile erection and seminal plug emission. The al tered behavioral parameters approached or reached presurgical and sham values 21 days after transection, indicating that the damage to erect ile and ejaculatory function was transient. It is suggested that anima ls with viscerocutaneous branch transection recover copulatory efficie ncy through a compensatory plastic mechanism, possibly involving the h ypogastric nerve.