Hormones & Sex Flashcards
Classes of chemical signalling
Endocrine, synapse, pheromone, and allomone
Endocrine signalling
Hormone, release into the bloodstream, selectively affects distant target tissues
Synapse signalling
chemical signal diffuses a tiny distance across the synaptic cleft and causes a change in the postsynaptic membrane
Pheromone signalling
chemicals released outside the body to affect others of the same species
Allomone signalling
chemicals release outside the body to affect others of another species
Posterior pituitary
Releases (and stores) hormones, but they are synthesized in the hypothalamus and then transported to the posterior pituitary.
Anterior pituitary
Makes the hormones it releases called tropic hormones. Controlled by releasing and inhibiting hormones from the hypothalamus.
Tropic hormones
Hormones released by the anterior pituitary
Oxytocin
Released by posterior pituitary. Governs reproductive and parenting behaviour, uterine contractions and the milk letdown reflex
Vasopressin
Governs water conservation, increased blood pressure and pair-bonds, made in hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary
Negative feedback
System output feeds back and inhibits further secretion
Proceptive
Female behaviour that establishes, maintains, or promotes sexual interaction.
Sequence of sexual arousal in humans
Increasing excitement>plateau>orgasm>resolution.
Androgens in males
Crucial for the development of male genitalia in the fetus
Testosterone
produced by the fetal testes, is necessary for the formation of male sex organs.
Androgens in females
Androgens are produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands and are precursors to estrogen synthesis. They play a role in the function of ovaries and the regulation of the menstrual cycle.
Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS)
an XY fetus has a defective gene for the androgen receptor and the embryos tissues do not respond to circulating testosterone so the testes remain internal
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)
causes developing females to be exposed to excess androgens before birth so they have some masculinization but ovaries
Turners syndrome
a person only has one sex chromosome, a single X, they develop as female
Pituitary stalk
Connects the pituitary to the hypothalamus
Ovaries produce
Progestins and estrogens
4 Ways hormonal and neural systems influence each other
Neural-to-neural
Neural-to-endocrine
Endocrine-to-endocrine
Endocrine-to-neural
In estrus
A female is willing to copulate
Activation effect
A temporary change in behaviour due to the effects of a hormone
Mullein ducts
Develop into fallopian tubes etc. in women and shrink in men
Wolffian ducts
Develop into epididymis etc. in men and shrink in women
Anti-mulerian hormone (AMH)
Induces the regression of the Mullerian system
