Rats' sexual preference altered by hormonal treatmeant

[Chaos Mind]

Hey guys,

I just found this very interesting article via "I fucking love science": http://www.iflscience.com/brain/sexual-preference-rats-influenced-oxytocin-and-dopamine

Story in short (although I highly suggest your read through the article yourself):
Rats were treated with different drugs. Dopamine was a big player (as always), but also quinpirole and oxytocin (which is released after the orgasm and helps us bond with the partner). Scientists were able to reward male rats for having contact with other male rats until they finally chose male partners over sexually receptive females - even after the medication stopped. They even noticed physical changes in their brains.

This is creepy. Basically what we all did was something very similar...we rewarded ourself for virtually coupling with all sorts of women and men. No wonder that many addicts claim they feel seriously attracted to shemales or experience a fetish for something they have never tried out in real life.

 

[Androg]

That article mixes up two studies. But it gets the main point across.

The first study, linked to in the article, just tried to manipulate male rats to enjoy the company of a (sexually experienced) male through using a dopamine agonist to condition a preference. Normally males don't like to hang out together.

It worked...on males. Female rats couldn't be conditioned to do this (demonstrate socio-sexual preference with a same sex rat).

Also, interestingly, the conditioning in the males was gone 45 days later. In other words, without reinforcement, it faded. It was more like a porn fetish than an actual sexual orientation.

STUDY:
"Same-sex cohabitation under the effects of quinpirole induces a conditioned socio-sexual partner preference in males, but not in female rats" http://www.researchgate.net/publication/51248698_Same-sex_cohabitation_under_the_effects_of_quinpirole_induces_a_conditioned_socio-sexual_partner_preference_in_males_but_not_in_female_rats

The second, more recent study, which is described in the article, but not linked to, is one where the conditioned males were then offered the option of a receptive female and preferred the male.

STUDY:
"Conditioned same-sex partner preference in male rats is facilitated by oxytocin and dopamine: Effect on sexually dimorphic brain nuclei" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25601575

The takeaway is that male sexuality is highly conditionable, and there are probably good evolutionary reasons for this. But those reasons assume a very different sexual environment than the endless novelty of internet porn. Now, such "easy conditionability" becomes a liability for some males, who end up hooked on screens, fetishes and watching others have sex - instead of real partners.

Fortunately, brains are plastic, and can be retrained.

 

[Chaos Mind]

Hi Androg,

thanks for your scientific view on this!

You say that the experiment only worked on male rats, whereas female rats could not be conditioned. But I think I read somewhere that the Cooleridge Effect also works on female rats...they too will mate more often when there are always new male rats available. They experience the same dopamine kick as males do.

 

[Ontrack Man]

People,

Thanks so much for this !  I am really happy you are posting on it. I've worrying about this a lot lately, I just never really wanted to accept it. I was simply convincing myself that I am bisexual.

This explains a lot. I skimmed through the articles, I didnt' see anything about a reversal after 45 days.  Knowing the biological effects helps me a lot to crack the problem.  The same thing happened with pron addiction, really understanding made me not want to have anything to do with it.

 

[datkid93]

This post is the epitome of my porn addiction that spun out of control.  This shut can really take a long time I wish it only took 45 days.....

 

[Ontrack Man]

I hear ya man,  This has been really revealing, just watched "the pleasure trap" talk and it is great info.

Man I've had it hard as well, I think i've gone really deep down into this wiring process so my rewiring will take some time still, don't worry just stay strong. 

They say the younger you start the longer it takes but were not rats so 45 days is ok for a small brain.  I've read somewhere that after 8-9 weeks you can see some major changes.