Hormones & Sex Flashcards
Q: What are key symptoms seen in C.V., the 3-month-old boy?
A: Severe constipation, poor head control, no smiling, small head, low birth temperature.
Q: What is a likely diagnosis for C.V.’s condition?
A: Congenital hypothyroidism (thyroid hormone deficiency).
Q: What hormone is deficient in congenital hypothyroidism?
A: Thyroid hormone (T₃ and T₄).
Q: What are signs of congenital hypothyroidism in infants?
A: Constipation, poor muscle tone, delayed milestones, small head, low temperature.
Q: Why is early diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism important?
A: To prevent intellectual disability and promote normal growth and development.
Q: How are neural and hormonal communication similar?
A: Both use chemical signals.
Q: How do hormones typically act over time?
A: In a gradual fashion
Q: How are hormones often released?
A: In bursts—called pulsatile secretion.
Q: What internal timing system controls some hormone release?
A: Circadian clocks.
Q: How far do neural signals travel?
A: Millimeters.
Q: How far can hormonal signals travel?
A: Up to meters through the bloodstream.
Q: What is the speed of neural communication?
A: Milliseconds.
Q: What is the speed of hormonal communication?
A: Minutes, hours, or even days.
Q: How precise is the spatial extent of neural communication?
A: Very precise and localized.
Q: How precise is the spatial extent of hormonal communication?
A: Diffuse—affects many cells/tissues.
Q: What kind of effects do neural signals have?
A: All-or-none responses.
Q: What kind of effects do hormones have?
A: Graded responses, depending on concentration.
Q: Where is the pituitary gland located?
A: Beneath the hypothalamus.
Q: Why is the pituitary gland important?
A: It releases hormones that regulate many body functions and other endocrine glands.
Q: What do releasing hormones from the hypothalamus do?
A: They control the release of hormones from the pituitary gland.
Q: What are tropic hormones?
A: Hormones released by the pituitary that act on other endocrine glands.
Q: What is the first hormone released in the HPT axis?
A: Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) from the hypothalamus.
Q: What does TRH stimulate?
A: The anterior pituitary to release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).
Q: What does TSH act on?
A: The thyroid gland.
What does TSH stand for?
thyroid stimulating hormone
Q: What does the thyroid gland release in response to TSH?
A: Thyroid hormones (T₃ and T₄).
Q: Where do thyroid hormones act?
A: On target cells throughout the body.
Q: How is the HPT axis regulated?
A: Through negative feedback—thyroid hormones inhibit TRH and TSH release.
Q: How many hormones does the posterior pituitary secrete?
A: Two.
Q: What are the two hormones secreted by the posterior pituitary?
A: Vasopressin (ADH) and oxytocin.
Q: What is another name for vasopressin?
A: Antidiuretic hormone (ADH).
What does ADH stand for?
Antidiuretic hormone
Q: What are the main effects of vasopressin?
A: Raises blood pressure and reduces urine formation.
Q: What emotion is vasopressin especially linked to?
A: Fear.
Q: What is oxytocin involved in?
A: Maternal behavior and social bonding.
Q: What condition has oxytocin been linked to in research?
A: Autism spectrum disorder (social bonding deficits).
Q: What does TSH from the anterior pituitary stimulate?
A: The thyroid gland to release thyroid hormones.
Q: What does ACTH from the anterior pituitary stimulate?
A: The adrenal cortex to release cortisol.
Q: Where are releasing hormones synthesized?
A: In hypothalamic neurons.
Q: How do releasing hormones reach the anterior pituitary?
A: They are secreted into local blood vessels (the hypophyseal portal system).
Q: What happens when releasing hormones reach the anterior pituitary?
A: The anterior pituitary releases tropic hormones into the bloodstream.
Q: What is the role of tropic hormones?
A: They act on other endocrine glands to regulate hormone release.
Q: What dietary element is required to produce thyroid hormone?
A: Iodine.
Q: What happens if the thyroid doesn’t get enough iodine?
A: It may enlarge, causing a goiter.
Q: What is a goiter?
A: Swelling of the thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency.
Q: What can early thyroid hormone deficiency cause in infants?
A: Cretinism, a condition involving intellectual disability.
Q: Can hormones affect behavior?
A: Yes, in many ways.
Q: How can endocrine disorders mimic psychiatric conditions?
A: Hormonal imbalances can cause symptoms like depression, anxiety, or psychosis.
Q: What is Cushing’s disease?
A: A disorder caused by long-term excess of glucocorticoids.
Q: What are common symptoms of Cushing’s disease?
A: Fatigue, depression, and sometimes psychosis.
Q: What did a Dallas News report reveal about steroid use?
A: 25% of students, coaches, and parents in North Texas reported illegal steroid use.
Q: Why is steroid use concerning in teens?
A: It can disrupt hormones and lead to behavioral and health problems.
Q: How many levels of sex determination are there?
seven
Q: What are the 7 levels of sex determination?
A:
Chromosomes
Gonads
Internal reproductive organs
External genitalia
Brain structure/function
Gender identity
Gender preference
Q: Are all 7 levels always aligned in one person?
A: No, they can vary individually.
Q: What is the first level of sex determination?
A: Chromosomes (e.g., XX, XY).
Q: What is the second level of sex determination?
A: Gonads (ovaries or testes).
Q: What is the third level of sex determination?
A: Internal reproductive organs (e.g., uterus, vas deferens).
Q: What is the fourth level of sex determination?
A: External genitalia.
Q: What is the fifth level of sex determination?
A: Brain sex (structure/function differences related to sex).
Q: What is the sixth level of sex determination?
A: Gender identity (how one internally identifies).
Q: What is the seventh level of sex determination?
A: Gender preference (who one is attracted to).
Q: Does everyone fit neatly into one category across all 7 levels?
A: No, there is wide natural variation.
Q: How many potential gender combinations might exist from these levels?
A: Possibly 27 to 128 or more.
Q: What are three reasons why humans have sex?
A: Reproduction, DNA shuffling, and pleasure.
Q: How does sex benefit a species genetically?
A: It shuffles DNA, increasing genetic diversity.
Q: How is sex similar to hunger and thirst?
A: It involves arousal, satiation, hormones, and brain control.
Q: How is sex different from hunger and thirst?
A: It is not a homeostatic need—individuals can survive without it.
Q: Is sex necessary for individual survival?
A: No, but it is necessary for the survival of the species.
Q: What makes sex potentially unique in humans?
A: It’s pursued for pleasure, not just reproduction.
Q: What does a rise in estrogen before ovulation promote?
A: Sexual behavior in non-human animals.
Q: What is estrus?
A: A period when a female is sexually receptive and fertile.
Q: Do human females have estrus?
A: No, humans don’t have a defined estrus phase.
Q: When are human women more likely to initiate sex?
A: Around ovulation, when estrogen levels are high.
Q: How does dopamine (DA) affect sexual behavior?
A: It increases sexual activity in humans.
Q: What does increasing dopamine cause in men?
A: First erection, then ejaculation.
Q: How does serotonin (5-HT) affect sex?
A: SSRIs often impair sexual ability in both men and women.
Q: What do SSRIs do to sexual desire or function?
A: They can reduce libido, arousal, and orgasm.
Q: How does alcohol affect sexual behavior?
A: It increases desire but can impair performance.
Q: What did Shakespeare say about alcohol and sex in Macbeth?
A: “It provokes the desire but it takes away the performance.”
Q: What does sex determination refer to?
A: Whether an embryo will develop male or female gonads.
Q: What gene triggers development of testes?
A: The SRY gene (Sex-determining Region on the Y chromosome).
Q: What happens if there is no SRY gene?
A: The embryo develops ovaries.
Q: What chromosome is the SRY gene located on?
A: The Y chromosome.
Q: What is the main organizing hormone of the human brain?
A: Testosterone.
Q: When do organizing effects of testosterone mostly occur?
A: Prenatally or shortly after birth.
Q: What do organizing effects influence?
A: Brain and body structure; they are lifelong (e.g., genitals).
Q: What are activating effects of hormones?
A: Effects that can occur at any time and are often reversible.
Q: What is an example of an activating effect?
A: Increased muscle mass due to testosterone.
Q: Are activating effects permanent?
A: No, they come and go with hormone levels and can be reversed.
Q: What brain structure is larger in women, according to MRI studies?
A: The corpus callosum.
Q: In women, what does corpus callosum size correlate with?
A: Cognitive skills.
Q: What does greater corpus callosum size suggest about brain function?
A: Possibly more interhemispheric communication in women.
Q: What did a study of 21 fetal brains show about male brains?
A: Males had greater hemispheric asymmetry than females.
Q: Which hemisphere was thicker in male fetal brains?
A: The right hemisphere.
Q: Are structural brain differences between sexes present before birth?
A: Yes, as shown by fetal brain studies.
Q: Which brain region for self-control has more neurons in women?
A: The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
Q: What is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex involved in?
A: Executive functions like thinking before acting.
Q: Which brain region for communication has more neurons in women?
A: The superior temporal gyrus.
Q: What does the superior temporal gyrus help with?
A: Talking and listening (language processing).
Q: How are male brains typically better connected?
A: Front-to-back within each hemisphere.
Q: How are female brains typically better connected?
A: Left-to-right between hemispheres.
Q: What skill is often associated with stronger left-right connectivity in women?
A: Multitasking.
Q: What skill is often associated with stronger front-back connectivity in men?
A: Concentrating on a single task.
Q: Which gender tends to have greater verbal ability on average?
A: Most girls outperform most boys in verbal ability.
Q: Which gender tends to excel in visual-spatial ability?
A: Most boys outperform most girls.
Q: Which gender tends to show more physical aggression?
A: Most boys are more physically aggressive than girls.
Q: Who tends to score higher at the high end of math performance?
A: More boys than girls, though average ability is the same.
Q: Is there a large or small difference in cognitive abilities between genders overall?
A: Mostly small differences with substantial overlap.
Q: What matters when interpreting gender differences in behavior and cognition?
A: Whether you focus on small differences or broad similarities.
Q: How does estrogen affect spatial ability?
A: High estrogen levels are linked to reduced spatial performance.
Q: What cognitive skills are enhanced by high estrogen levels?
A: Speech and manual skill tasks.
Q: When does testosterone affect brain asymmetry?
A: During the second trimester of fetal development.
Q: What does prenatal testosterone do to brain development?
A: It increases cerebral asymmetry by accelerating growth of the right hemisphere.
Q: How does testosterone affect spatial ability in girls exposed to high levels?
A: It enhances spatial abilities (seen in androgenized girls).
Q: What happens to males with low early testosterone levels?
A: They tend to have impaired spatial ability.
Q: What cognitive change occurs in female-to-male trans individuals taking testosterone?
A: Spatial ability improves.
Q: What verbal change may occur in trans men taking testosterone?
A: Verbal fluency may decrease.
Q: Who popularized the idea of “Men’s and Women’s Brain Boxes”?
A: Mark Gungor.
Q: What metaphor does Gungor use to describe male and female brains?
A: Men’s brains are compartmentalized (“boxes”); women’s brains are interconnected.
Q: What does Kathleen Fischer emphasize about gender?
A: Gender exists on a continuum, not as a strict binary.
Q: What terms does Fischer use to describe gender variation?
A: “Girlness” and “boyness” as traits along a spectrum.
Q: How do girls typically communicate compared to boys?
A: Girls talk a lot; boys talk minimally.
Q: What is the common conversation style in girls?
A: Face-to-face.
Q: What is the common conversation style in boys?
A: Shoulder-to-shoulder.
Q: What do girls often focus on in conversations?
A: Relationships and emotions.
Q: What do boys often focus on in conversations?
A: Objects and activities.
Q: How do girls typically express care or affection?
A: Nurturing and touching.
Q: How do boys often express connection?
A: Roughhousing or shared activities.
Q: How do girls often show or build friendship?
A: Through shared confidences and emotional bonding.
Q: How do boys often show friendship?
A: Through shared activities and earned respect.
Q: What does crying often signal for girls?
A: A release and a call for support.
Q: How is crying often viewed by boys?
A: As a sign of weakness or humiliation.
Q: What brain structure is more developed in girls and linked to language?
A: The cortex.
Q: What brain structure do boys tend to rely on more emotionally?
A: The limbic system, which is less complex.
Q: How do girls often process feelings?
A: Through verbal expression and reflection (cortex-driven).
Q: How do boys often process emotional experiences?
A: Through action, less verbal reflection (limbic system-driven).
Q: How is risky behavior viewed among girls?
A: As scary, stupid, or socially lowering.
Q: How is risky behavior viewed among boys?
A: As fun and status-boosting—“risky shift.”
Q: What dominates sexual arousal in girls?
A: The cortex (thinking, emotional context).
Q: What dominates sexual arousal in boys?
A: The limbic system (physical/emotional impulses).
Q: How is teasing often perceived by girls?
A: As a veiled threat or insult.
Q: How is teasing often perceived by boys?
A: As a playful way to bond.
Q: How do girls tend to approach discipline?
A: Through affiliative reasoning—“How would you feel?”
Q: How do boys tend to respond best to discipline?
A: With clear rules and consequences.
Q: What kind of reading material do girls often prefer?
A: Fiction, relationships, and emotional stories.
Q: What kind of reading material do boys often prefer?
A: Facts, real-world topics, and action.
