Combination of low doses of mirtazapine plus venlafaxine produces antidepressant-like effects in rats, without affecting male or female sexual behavior.

Rationale: Pharmacological treatments for depression are not always effective and produce unwanted side effects. Male and female sexual dysfunction is one of these side effects, which can lead to treatment withdrawal. Combination of two antidepressants with different mechanisms of action, like mirtazapine (MTZ) and venlafaxine (VLF) have been shown to be effective for treatment-resistant depression in humans.

Diabetes mellitus and female sexual response: what do animal models tell us?

Background: One of the less explored effects of diabetes mellitus (DM) is female sexual dysfunction. Females of different species have been used as models.

Aim: To analyze the information of animal models of DM and female sexual response (FSR).

Chronic moderate hyperglycemia does not alter sexual motivation in the female rat.

The relationship between diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) and sexual desire in women has not been systematically studied, therefore, animal models have been used for this purpose. When streptozotocin (STZ) is administered in the neonatal stage, the rat shows moderate chronic hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance in adulthood, resembling a DM2 model. These females show less alterations of sexual behavior (a slight decreased proceptivity and loss of paced mating) than their counterpart with severe hyperglycemia.

Estradiol modulates the role of the spinal α-subunit containing GABA receptors in female rats with neuropathic pain.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying sex differences in the role of spinal α-subunit containing GABA (αGABA) receptors in rats with neuropathic pain. Intrathecal 2,5-dihydro-7-methoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3H-pyrazolo [4,3-c] quinoline-3-one (PZ-II-029, positive allosteric modulator of αGABA receptors) reduced tactile allodynia in female but not in male rats with neuropathic pain. PZ-II-029 was also more effective in females than males in inflammatory and nociplastic pain.

Multiparity favors same-sex partner preference in male rats.

Same-sex partner preference is present in many mammals, including rodents. Several possible causal factors have been proposed for the establishment of this preference. The Fraternal Birth Order effect refers to the observation that older brothers increase the probability of homosexuality in men, but no experiment has analyzed this possibility.