Delayed testosterone replacement restores nitric oxide synthase‐containing nerve fibres and the erectile response in rat penis

Abstract

Testosterone acts on the nervous system to mediate erection; when it is absent there may be down-regulation of both the production and activity of NO, thereby decreasing the response to peripheral stimulation via the NO pathway. The restoration of erectile function seen in rats in group 2 supports this phenomenon. Delayed testosterone replacement has no detrimental effect on the restoration of the erectile mechanism after castration.