An Australian research discovery at Prince Henry's Institute showed that the lack of estrogen in male mice caused a total loss of sex drive. "Our studies suggest that estrogen plays an important role in male sex drive which has been previously unknown," said Director of Prince Henry's Institute, Professor Evan Simpson. "This research paves the way for the development of novel estrogen treatments for men that enhance libido," he said. Previous behavioural experiments conducted at the Institute involved confining a male ArKO mouse, deficient in estrogen, with a responsive normal female mouse. "Normal male mice in this situation would attempt sex with the receptive female in a matter of seconds," said Professor Evan Simpson, head of the research group conducting the studies. "The male mouse lacking estrogen, however, showed no interest in the female whatsoever," he said.

Recent studies at Prince Henry's Institute, investigating the role of estrogen in the brain, reinforced this observation.

To be published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, research showed that the male ArKO mice, experienced loss of cells in the Medial Preoptic Area, the region of the brain that controls sex drive.

"This research shows that estrogen is an important factor in the control of male sex drive and could play an important role in improved treatments for low male libido," he said.

Prince Henry's Institute is a world leader in hormone and reproductive health research.



For further information contact: Ian Muchamore (03) 9594 4049



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