Chronic sleep deprivation prolongs the reduction of sexual behaviour associated with daily sexual encounter in male rats

Abstract

Chronic sleep deprivation (CSD) is common in many societies. Consecutive sleep loss increases allostatic load, which is known to negatively affect health outcomes. We investigated the impact of CSD on male sexual behaviour. Sexually-experienced male Long-Evans rats (singly housed under 14:10 light:dark) were either subjected to CSD or no CSD for 7 days, followed by a 7-day sleep recovery (SR) period. Their sexual behaviours were tested daily during both periods. CSD was performed by a ‘gentle-handling’ protocol for 4 hours per day, at the end of the light phase. Daily sexual behaviour tests led to a change in sexual behaviour over time. Intromission and ejaculation frequencies declined with repeated testing, but the reduction in these behaviours lasted for a longer period in rats that were previously subjected to CSD. Ejaculation latency was significantly longer towards the end of the recovery period in rats that had undergone CSD, but not in the control group. Post-ejaculatory interval increased and mounting behaviour did not change with daily mating tests, regardless of sleep deprivation protocol. CSD prolongs the decline in sexual behaviours associated with daily sexual encounters in male rats, and thus the return to baseline for these parameters requires days.