Erectile dysfunction occurs following substantia nigra lesions in the rat

Erectile function was assessed 6 weeks following uni- and bilateral injecti ons of 6-hydroxydopamine in the substantia ni-ra nucleus of the brain. Beha vioral apomorphine-induced penile erections were reduced (5/8) and increase d (3/8) in uni- and bilateral lesioned animals. Intracavernous pressures, f ollowing electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve, decreased in lesion ed animals. Lesions of the substantia nigra were confirmed by histology. Co ncentration of dopamine and its metabolites were decreased in the striatum of substantia nigra lesioned rats. Lesions of the substantia nigra are ther efore associated with erectile dysfunction in rats and may serve as a model to study erectile dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.