A pelvic trinity: prostate, hormones and nerves

The prostate is an accessory sex gland responsible for producing and excreting prostate fluid. In the male rat, hormones such as testosterone (T) and prolactin (PRL) and the pelvic and hypogastric nerves regulate the gland, providing afferent information and adrenergic and cholinergic innervation to the prostate. Damages in the innervation or alterations in the hormonal levels of T and PRL changes the prostate’s cytoarchitecture and function that can promote the presence of cancer. However, sexual activity delays effects induced by hormonal alterations or dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, but it does not mean that they do not appear since the cases of death from prostate cancer is still increasing. That is why this review has the fundamental purpose of showing the relationship between the hormones, autonomic nervous system, and sexual behavior in the pathophysiology of the prostate, with the ultimate aim of trying to understand the role that each one plays in diseases of the prostate. To date, results show that morphological changes in the prostate correlate with an increase in prolactin serum levels, a decrease in androgen and long prolactin receptors, and an increase in short prolactin receptors. Also, damage in the innervation induces an increase in androgen and muscarinic receptors in the major pelvic ganglia that supply the nerves that control the prostate in animal with sexual experience.