Attraction, Sex and Love Flashcards
4 mediators of attraction, sex and love
- Neurochemistry and physiology
- Drugs mimicking/replacing love NTs
- Aphrodisiacs/love potions/drugs to improve sex life
- Drug-facilitated sexual assault and other illegal drugs
3 evolutionary mating systems?
Lust : general sexual desire
Attraction : Focus on particular mate
Attachment : Instinct toward caretaking
Hormones of lust? (2)
Tertosterone
Estradiol
What are the “sexual effects” of ovulation? (3)
Voice is more attractive to others
The woman is more likely to wear revealing clothes, more likely to attend social gatherings
Overvalue physical attractiveness (short-term partners)
What hormone makes a woman more likely to cheat on their partner?
High levels of estradiol
A lack of testosterone increases what in men? (4)
What seems to help with that but causes adverse effects?
Aggressive behaviors
Risk taking
Energy levels
Libido
Estrogen treatments
Sex hormones and their effects on straight and gay traits?
Having older brothers : 33% higher chance of being gay, maybe due to hormones influencing mother’s immune system
Two factors that affect the neurobiology of attraction?
Sight : seeing beautiful person induces u-opioid receptors, our reward system
Olfaction : animals use sense of smell to interact, suggestions that humans do too
Part of a goat’s body that processes pheromones? Do humans have this? what is suggested?
Vomeronasal organ
No, but men and women have differences in glands, secretions, microbial flora
Steroid compound in men’s sweat that could be involved in pheromone processing and arousal? This seems to affect what? (4)
Progesterone derivative androstadienone
- Endocrine levels
- Physiological arousal
- Context-dependent mood
- Effects depending on sexual orientation
Mood can be communicated via what?
Chemicals found in sweat
Pheromones and mood:
There is a direct correlation between what? This affects mood by modulating affinity of ______
Axillary compounds and serotonin
Modulates affinity of the serotonin transporter
Pheromones and mate compatibility : which antigen correlates partnership, sexuality and desire to procreate?
HLA : human leukocyte antigen
HLA encodes for what gene and what type of protein?
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC).
Encodes cell-surface antigen-presenting proteins
The limbic system includes what? (3)
Functions? (5)
Olfactory bulbs, hippocampus, amygdala
Emotion, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, olfaction
Initial giddiness, fast HR, etc… are due to what love chemicals? (3)
Dopamine
Norepinephrine
Phenylethylamine
Attraction activates stress response, increases what two chemicals in the blood? What are three effects?
They produce what physiological effects?
Adrenaline Cortisol 1. Sweat 2. Heart races 3. Mouth goes dry -Elation, energy, sleeplessness, craving, loss of appetite, focused attention
Phenylethylamine is a NT associated with what? Its release increases _____ and ______
Passion/attraction
Increases dopamine and norepinephrine
PEA controls the transition from _____ to _____
It is chemically similar to?
Lust to love
Amphetamines
PEA gets produced when….? (2)
- Meet someone attractive
2. Eat food with PEA
Dopamine is linked to…? (3)
It is similar to.. ?
Pleasure, reward, addiction
Amphetamines
What is the cuddling and bonding chemical? It has roles in which behaviors? (5)
Oxytocin
Behaviors (orgasms, social recognition, pair bonding, anxiety, maternal behaviors)
When do oxytocin levels rise?
Child-birth for mothers and new fathers
Oxytocin promotes which main behavior?
ethnocentric behaviors, trusting, empathy for their group and rejection of outsiders
Which chemical structure is similar to oxytocin?
Vasopressin
What happens when you give a vasopressin receptor antagonist in prairie voles?
loss of devotion to each other
Herbal drugs used to treat lovesickness or induce passion may induce some ___________ or ___________ activities, or on ______________ levels
dopaminergic
adrenergic
testosterone
5 so-called aphrodisiacs? why?
Asparagus : vitamin E stimulates sex hormones
Chili peppers : release endorphins
Chocolate : PEA
Oysters : zinc, increase testosterone and libido
Spanish fly
3 medications used for erectile dysfunction?
Viagra, Cialis, Levitra
What typically happens in the regulation of blood flow in the penis? How do erectile dysfunction pills affect this?
- Typically, NO activates guanylyl cyclase, PDE 5 promotes degradation of cGMP (GTP to GPM) , cGMP protein kinase is activated and decreases Ca2+, myosin detaches from actin, smooth muscle relaxation
- Pill inhibit PDE5, less relaxation of muscle
Do erectile dysfunction pills increase libido? When should they be taken?
No
1hr before sexual encounter
Which has longer half-life : Viagra, Cialis or Levitra?
Cialis (17,5h)
Viagra/Levitra (4-5h)
What chemical has been studies to improve arousal in females? MOA? Safe to use?
PT-141 or bremelanotide
MOA : activates melanocortin receptors MC1R and MC4R in hypothalamus, nerve signal to penile tissue (corpus cavernosa), NO, cGMP degradation by PDE-5 (GTP to GMP), vasodilation and erection
Not safe
Difference between PT-141 and Viagra?
PT-141 doesnt act on vascular system, acts directly on nervous system
3 inhibitors of PDE-5 in bremelanotide MOA?
Sildenafil
Vardenafil
Tadalafil
“female viagra”?
Safe by FDA? side effects? (4)
Flibanserin : Addyi
Not safe
Dizziness, drowsiness, fainting, BP drop
Flibanserin was initially what type of med? MOA?
Antidepressant (increase dopamine)
4 recreational drugs that affect sex?
Cannabis
Alcohol
Cocaine
Ecstacy
+ and - of cannabis?
+relaxes muscles, higher sensitivity, reduce anxiety and stress
-may make you anxious, lower testosterone and estrogen
+ and - of alcohol?
+social lubricant
-erectile dysfunction
+ and - of cocaine?
+arousal, sex drive and focus increase
-erectile dysfunction, paranoia, can’t relax/fall asleep, low sperm count
+ and - of ecstacy?
+arousal, intense pleasure
-inhibits orgasm, decreases lubrication
Short term effects of ecstacy?
release of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. More oxytocin and vasopressin
Long-term effects of ecstacy?
depression of NTs (particularly serotonin)
Dangerous effects of ecstacy?
increase body temp/dehydration if dancing a lot, increase need to urinate, teeth grinding
6 drugs that can be mixed with ecstacy?
caffeine ephedrine metamphetamine LSD PCP ketamine
Date rape drugs? (2)
Rohypnol, Roofies (flunitrazepam)
GHB : gamma hydroxybutyric
Effects of roofies? (6)
How long does sedation take? how long does it last?
10x stronger tranquilizer than diazepam
Sedative effect, amnesia, muscle relaxation, slowing of psychomotor responses, feeling drunk
20-30min, several hours
What happens when roofies are mixed with alcohol and other drugs? (4)
Unconsciousness
Slow HR
Suppressed breathing
Death
Is GHB a natural substance in the body?
It mimics the action of ______
Yes
GABA
GHB used for what? (5)
General anesthetic
Insomnia, depression, narcolepsy, alcoholism, improve athletic performance
4 effects of GHB?
At higher doses? (8)
Euphoria
Disinhibition
Enhanced sensuality and empathogenic states
High doses : nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, visual disturbances, depressed breathing, amnesia, unconsciousness, death
Effects of GHB last how long?
1,5-3h
What is the pleasure chemical?
dopamine
Which areas of the brain with dopamine have heightened activity when seeing a significant other
Frontal lobe
Caudate area
What is the monogamy chemical?
Vasopressin
