Testicular Innervation is Necessary for the Response of Plasma Testosterone Levels to Acute Stress

At 1, 2, 4, and 7 weeks or 15 months postsurgery, bilateral denervation of the testes of mature male rats had no effect on basal levels of plasma testosterone, testicular weight, spermatogenesis, or mating behavior. However, bilateral denervation blocked an acute stress-induced rise of plasma testosterone. This is the first report of a possible role of testicular innervation in the mature male rat.