Lecture 13

Question 1

proceptivity and the menstrual cycle in humans

Answer 1

female more likely to show initiation during ovulatory period and follicular period

Question 2

in postmenopausal women estrogen replacement ___

Answer 2

increases libido

Question 3

in naturally cycling women estrogen is positively associated with

Answer 3

• sexual desire
• sexual attraction to men other than one’s primary partner

Question 4

female pacing of copulation

Answer 4

when female has control over when the intermissions occur during a mating test

Question 5

in paced paired mating tests females return to the male…

Answer 5

more slowly following ejaculation compared with mounts or intromissions

Question 6

what follows intromissions

Answer 6

prolactin release –> corpora lutea support –> enables implantation of the blastocyst

Question 6

pacing and multiple intromissions

Answer 6

slower pacing of intromission in the paced test optimizes reproduction

Question 7

what happens if the female doesn’t have significant number of intromissions?

Answer 7

the wall cannot build up and eggs cannot implant successfully

Question 8

menstruation bleeding

Answer 8

• due to steroid deprivation
• occurs when E and P are at baseline
• without steroid support the endometrial layer sloughs off and blood vessels leak blood

Question 9

what strengthens the uterine walls?

Answer 9

intromission stimulation of prolactin release

Question 10

when do estrogen levels peak

Answer 10

at time of ovulation

Question 10

why does progesterone peak later

Answer 10

due to formation of corpora lutea, continues to remain high during luteal phase, if pregnancy not achieved the progesterone levels drop off

Question 11

proestrus bleeding

Answer 11

• due to steroid stimulation
• dogs/some other mammals discharge blood during proestrus
• due to estrogen-induced stimulation of the uterine wall causing rapid growth which tears blood vessels

Question 12

induced ovulation in prairie voles

Answer 12

if a male is present
- anogenital investigation
- exposure to male urine
- VNO –> main olfactory bulb –> release of GnRH
- stimulates release of LH (possibly FSH) 1 hour post-exposure
- within 24 hours gonadotropin release has stimulated estrogen release and the onset of estrous behavior
- approx 12 hours following copulation, ovulation occurs

Question 13

Lee-Boot effect

Answer 13

estrous cycle lengthens in all female mice when they all live together, female-released chemosensory cue that is released and detected by females leading to a longer estrous cycle

Question 13

Bruce effect

Answer 13

pregnant females exposed to not-sire male for at least 2 days, presence of chemosensory cues from males cause GnRH release and behavioral estrus onset, females abort or resorb their fetuses

Question 14

Whitten effect

Answer 14

chemosensory cues from male that impact female hormonal status, induces estrous behavior within 48 hours of introducing male into all female living environment, male urine causes GnRH release

Question 15

Vandenbergh effect

Answer 15

juvenile female around grown male, earlier onset of puberty in females, females exposed to lots of adult females delays onset of cylce

Question 16

pheromones and the human menstrual cycle

Answer 16

evidence for human pheromone release and detection among women, can impact the menstrual cycle of other women

Question 17

results of female pheromone experiment

Answer 17

• women exposed to odors of women in follicular phase had a reduced length of cycle shortened by about 2 days
• women exposed to odors of women in ovulatory phase had an increased length of cycle by about 1.5 days

Question 18

female pheromone experiment

Answer 18

• absorbent pads under arms for Dif stages of menstrual cycle
• experimenters took pads and froze them
• new cohort of women would rub frozen pads under noses
• new women exposed to pheromones released onto pads from first group of women
• looked at menstrual cycles of second group of women

Question 19

stress and the menstrual cycle

Answer 19

high stress levels = irregular menstrual cycles, strong association between stress and dysmenorrhea

Question 20

McClintock effect

Answer 20

study of undergraduate women living in dorms, menstrual synchronization more likely in roommates, took about 7-8 months of cohabitation before synchronicity occurred

Question 21

nutrition and the menstrual cycle

Answer 21

both inadequate diet, or habitual hyper caloric food consumption affect ovarian function and decrease fertility

Question 22

illness and the menstrual cycle

Answer 22

systemic disease or localized infection: lethargy, hyperosmnia, malaise, anorexia, loss of interest, lack of goal-directed behavior

Question 23

IL-1B treatment

Answer 23

reduced attractivity of females, but not males
- males spend less time with females when females looked sick (reduced attractivity of females)
- females spent same a mount of time with males no matter how sick they looked (no loss of attractivity)

Question 24

kisspeptin cells in rats

Answer 24

• express estrogen receptors
• receive SCN input
• activated during GnRH/LH surge

Question 25

SCN input in rats

Answer 25

important for circadian rhythm distinction leading to ovulation

Question 26

HPG axis

Answer 26

hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis

Question 27

activation of kisspeptin cells in primates

Answer 27

neuroestradiol contributes to activation of kisspeptin cells which drive the LH surge and ovulation

Question 28

neuroestradiol

Answer 28

• also acts in concert with kisspeptin neurons
• estradiol from body + locally produced estradiol works to turn on kisspeptin neurons, leads to LH surge

Question 29

anterior hypothalamus

Answer 29

lesions in marmosets abolished preceptive behaviors (tongue-flicking and staring) without affecting receptive behavior (no difference in mounts they refused or terminated)

Question 30

ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)

Answer 30

40-50% of VMH cells showed activation during presentation behaviors and throughout copulation

Question 31

MPOA

Answer 31

• during presentation behavior without copulation 40% of cells showed inhibition
• during presentation behavior with mating and during copulation up to 90% of cells showed excitation

Question 32

self-stimulation of the clitoris, vagina, and nipples resulted in activation of

Answer 32

paracentral lobule, genital region of the primary sensory cortex

Question 33

orgasm (self-stimulated or partner-stimulated) resulted in activation of

Answer 33

• paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus
• periaqueductal grey
• hippocampus
• cerebellum
• nucleus accumbens
• insula and cingulate cortices
• amygdala

Question 34

imagined genital or nipple stimulation activated the

Answer 34

paracentral lobule

Question 35

imagined penetrative dildo stimulation activated the

Answer 35

paracentral lobule, SSC, hippocampus, amygdala, insula, nucleus accumbens, mPFC

Question 36

imagined speculum stimulation activated the

Answer 36

control for nonerotic vaginal stimulation showed minimal brain activation

Question 37

which adrenal hormones increased as a result of arousal

Answer 37

adrenaline and noradrenaline increased, no change in cortisol levels

Question 38

which pituitary hormones increased as a result of arousal

Answer 38

prolactin and LH

Question 39

which gonadal hormones increased as a result of arousal

Answer 39

none: estrogen, testosterone, progesterone unchanged following arousal