Intracavernosal Pressure Recording to Evaluate Erectile Function in Rodents

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability to attain or keep an erection of the penis, and this has become a prevalent male sexual disorder. Rodents are employed by many studies to research the physiology/pathology of erectile function. Erectile function in rodents can be evaluated by measuring the intracavernosal pressure (ICP). In practice, ICP can be monitored following electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerves (CNs). The arterial pressure of the carotid artery (the mean arterial pressure) is used as the reference for ICP. Using ICP recording protocols, many key parameters of erectile function can be measured from the ICP response curve. The ICP measurement provides more information than the apomorphine-induced penile erection test, and is cheaper than telemetric monitoring of the corpus spongiosum penis, making this method the most popular one to evaluate erectile function. However, compared to the easily-performed APO-induced erectile function test, successful ICP recordings require attention to detail, practice, and adherence to the operation method. In this work, an introduction to ICP recording in rats is provided to complement the procedure efficiently.