Determining Sensory Plasticity and Developing Recovery for Sexual Dysfunction in Chronic Spinal Cord-Injured Male Rats
Abstract
Surveys of men with spinal cord injury (SCI) have demonstrated that among paraplegic men, regaining sexual function is the most important goal and will significantly improve quality of life. Hence, the development of novel, innovative interventions is of significant relevance for patients in both the military and civilian populations. Ejaculatory dysfunction in particular is extremely common among SCI men and less than 10% of men with SCI can ejaculate without the aid of medical interventions. Despite the identified need and desire to improve sexual function among SCI men, the underlying mechanisms of this key health problem have been largely unexplored, and we have a poor understanding of the mechanisms by which chronic injury so radically influences the spinal ejaculation generator. Several years ago, our laboratory identified the pivotal cell population that comprises the spinal ejaculation generator in male rats and has since made great strides towards a better understanding of this spinal ejaculation generator. Moreover, we recently demonstrated that chronic SCI caused long-term deficits of ejaculatory function in male rats, using a contusion injury paradigm that closely resembles the neural trauma in human spinal cord injury. In the current proposal, we will test the hypothesis that chronic SCI causes long-term deficits in the transmission of sensory inputs related to sexual activity to the spinal ejaculation generator in the male rat. We will test specific hypotheses that SCI causes remodeling of the sensory nerves and expression of the neural transmitters and peptides in these nerves. Moreover, we will conduct experiments using pharmacological intervention with the goal to restore ejaculatory dysfunction following chronic SCI. Together, these studies will form a first critical step towards identifying SCI-induced deficits in sensory inputs that control ejaculation and will form the basis for the development of treatment strategies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 31, 2017
- Source ID
- W81XWH1610386
Entities
People
- Lique Coolen
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Mississippi