Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
Prog Neurobiol. 2013 Sep;108:80-107. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2013.06.006. Epub 2013 Jul 12.
Of the numerous neuropeptides identified in the central nervous system, only a few are involved in the control of sexual behaviour. Among these, the most studied are oxytocin, adrenocorticotropin, α-melanocyte stimulating hormone and opioid peptides. While opioid peptides inhibit sexual performance, the others facilitate sexual behaviour in most of the species studied so far (rats, mice, monkeys and humans). However, evidence for a sexual role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, corticotropin releasing factor, neuropeptide Y, galanin and galanin-like peptide, cholecystokinin, substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide, vasopressin, angiotensin II, hypocretins/orexins and VGF-derived peptides are also available. Corticotropin releasing factor, neuropeptide Y, cholecystokinin, vasopressin and angiotensin II inhibit, while substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide, hypocretins/orexins and some VGF-derived peptide facilitate sexual behaviour. Neuropeptides influence sexual behaviour by acting mainly in the hypothalamic nuclei (i.e., lateral hypothalamus, paraventricular nucleus, ventromedial nucleus, arcuate nucleus), in the medial preoptic area and in the spinal cord. However, it is often unclear whether neuropeptides influence the anticipatory phase (sexual arousal and/or motivation) or the consummatory phase (performance) of sexual behaviour, except in a few cases (e.g., opioid peptides and oxytocin). Unfortunately, scarce information has been added in the last 15 years on the neural mechanisms by which neuropeptides influence sexual behaviour, most studied neuropeptides apart. This may be due to a decreased interest of researchers on neuropeptides and sexual behaviour or on sexual behaviour in general. Such a decrease may be related to the discovery of orally effective, locally acting type V phosphodiesterase inhibitors for the therapy of erectile dysfunction.
在中枢神经系统中鉴定出的众多神经肽中，只有少数几种参与了性行为的控制。其中，研究最多的是催产素、促肾上腺皮质激素、α-黑素细胞刺激素和阿片肽。虽然阿片肽抑制性行为表现，但其他肽类在迄今为止研究的大多数物种（大鼠、小鼠、猴子和人类）中促进性行为。然而，促性腺激素释放激素、促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子、神经肽 Y、甘丙肽和甘丙肽样肽、胆囊收缩素、P 物质、血管活性肠肽、血管加压素、血管紧张素 II、食欲素/食欲肽和 VGF 衍生肽的性作用证据也存在。促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子、神经肽 Y、胆囊收缩素、血管加压素和血管紧张素 II 抑制，而 P 物质、血管活性肠肽、食欲素/食欲肽和一些 VGF 衍生肽促进性行为。神经肽主要通过作用于下丘脑核（即外侧下丘脑、室旁核、腹内侧核、弓状核）、内侧视前区和脊髓来影响性行为。然而，除了少数情况（例如，阿片肽和催产素）外，通常不清楚神经肽是否影响性行为的预期阶段（性唤起和/或动机）或完成阶段（表现）。不幸的是，除了除了研究最多的神经肽外，在过去的 15 年中，关于神经肽影响性行为的神经机制的信息很少增加。这可能是由于研究人员对神经肽和性行为或一般性行为的兴趣减少。这种减少可能与发现用于治疗勃起功能障碍的有效、局部作用的 V 型磷酸二酯酶抑制剂有关。
