TY - JOUR
T1 - Physiology and mechanics of rat levator ani muscle
T2 - Evidence for a sexual function
AU - Holmes, Gregory M.
AU - Sachs, Benjamin D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by research grants to B.D.S. from NICHD (HD-08933) and The University of Connecticut Research Foundation. Anatomical data collection was supported by NIH research grant NS-10165 awarded to Dr. M. S Beattie, and an institutional training grant (NS-07291) awarded to The Ohio State University. Thanks to Drs. D. M. Basso, M. S. Beattie, and J. C. Bresnahan for commentary on the manuscript and Dr. W. D. Chapple for assistance throughout these experiments. Special thanks to D. G. Holmes for modifying the data acquisition software, and to M. J. Van Meter and J. H. Komon, Jr. at the Ohio State University for their technical assistance with histology and figures.
PY - 1994/2
Y1 - 1994/2
N2 - The levator ani (LA) of male rodents is a classic model tissue for the study of hormone-muscle interactions, although its functions remain unknown. Recordings during copulation from chronic electromyographic (EMG) electrodes in the LA and bulbospongiosus (BS) revealed that EMG activity in the LA and BS was tightly coordinated. The LA was not active during noncopulatory behaviors, including the 1-min interval surrounding defecation. Electrical stimulation of the LA motor nerves increased penile bulb pressure. Increases in penile bulb pressure following BS nerve stimulation were markedly attenuated after LA denervation and were reduced further by LA removal. Stimulation of the LA nerve yielded insignificant changes in rectal pressure. Perineal motion analysis demonstrated that the LA acts upon the penile bulb and the surrounding BS exclusively. Apparently the rodent LA muscle is an active component in a highly coordinated neuromuscular system augmenting penile erection and, contrary to its name, is most unlikely to participate in alimentary function.
AB - The levator ani (LA) of male rodents is a classic model tissue for the study of hormone-muscle interactions, although its functions remain unknown. Recordings during copulation from chronic electromyographic (EMG) electrodes in the LA and bulbospongiosus (BS) revealed that EMG activity in the LA and BS was tightly coordinated. The LA was not active during noncopulatory behaviors, including the 1-min interval surrounding defecation. Electrical stimulation of the LA motor nerves increased penile bulb pressure. Increases in penile bulb pressure following BS nerve stimulation were markedly attenuated after LA denervation and were reduced further by LA removal. Stimulation of the LA nerve yielded insignificant changes in rectal pressure. Perineal motion analysis demonstrated that the LA acts upon the penile bulb and the surrounding BS exclusively. Apparently the rodent LA muscle is an active component in a highly coordinated neuromuscular system augmenting penile erection and, contrary to its name, is most unlikely to participate in alimentary function.
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U2 - 10.1016/0031-9384(94)90131-7
DO - 10.1016/0031-9384(94)90131-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 8153163
AN - SCOPUS:0028125623
SN - 0031-9384
VL - 55
SP - 255
EP - 266
JO - Physiology and Behavior
JF - Physiology and Behavior
IS - 2
ER -