Cocaine-induced genital reflexes during paradoxical sleep deprivation and recovery

Paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) for 96 h together with cocaine administration elicits genital reflexes (penile erection [PE] and ejaculation [EJ]) in rats. Our objective was to examine genital reflexes after periods of 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, and 144 h of PSD and during a 4-day recovery period in acute cocaine-administered rats. After 24 h of PSD followed by cocaine administration, animals started to display PE and EJ, peaking in the 96th h of PSD, whereas PE and EJ were absent in control animals. The effects of more than 96 h of PSD decrease genital reflexes as observed after 120 and 144 h. Genital reflexes were present in the recovery periods but diminished gradually during the period evaluated. Even short periods of PSD probably cause supersensitivity of dopamine (DA) receptors and exacerbate the effects of cocaine on dopaminergic pathways to induce frequent PE and EJ.