Electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area exerts opposite effects on male rat sexual behaviour expression depending on the stimulated sub region.

The effects of electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) on male rat sexual behaviour were studied. Stimulation of dorsal VTA facilitated copulation of sexually experienced animals; while ventral VTA stimulation inhibited sexual behaviour. In sexually exhausted rats, stimulation at either region lacked of an effect. It is concluded that different loci within the VTA exert opposite influences on male sexual behaviour expression and that copulation to satiation modifies this VTA control.