Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

PSYC 211 > Lecture 13: Sexual Behaviour > Flashcards

Lecture 13: Sexual Behaviour Flashcards

1
Q

sexual dimorphism

A

Two sexes of the same species exhibit different characteristics beyond the differences in their sexual organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what causes sexual dimorphism

A

genetic and hormone differences before and after birth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Triplewart Seadevil and sexual dimorphism

A

female is a fish, but the male is a tiny rudimentary creature that lives on the female parasitically

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

main type of sexually dimorphic behaviours in mammals

A

reproductive behaviours

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

why does the brain give rise to sexually dimorphic behaviours

A

because it’s a sexually dimorphic organ

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

t or f: In humans, the size and interconnectivity of different brain regions vary according to sex

A

t

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

sex

A

Defined at birth by the presence of particular sex chromosomes, sex hormones, and sex organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

gender

A

The range of characteristics that pertain to, and differentiate between, masculinity and femininity, which are the characteristics associated with men and women, respectively. These characteristics reflect biology and culture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

sexual reproduction

A

involves the fusion of specialized cells known as gametes (one from each parent) to form offspring that inherit traits from each parent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

sex chromosomes

A

The X and Y chromosomes that typically determine an organism’s sex. (23rd pair)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

gonads

A

ovaries or testes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

gametes

A

reproductive cells which are either ova (egg cells) or sperm.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

how many chromosomes do gametes have

A

23

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

5 factors that determine sex

A
  1. sex chromosomes
  2. gonads
  3. sex hormones
  4. internal reproductive anatomy
  5. external anatomyt
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

result of unexpected combinations of the 5 factors of sex determination

A

intersex people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what types of sexual precursors do embryos contains

A

precursors for both female and male sex organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

undifferentiated gonads

A

embryonic precursor of ovaries/testes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

mullerian system

A

embryonic precursors of female internal sex organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

wolffian system

A

embryonic precursors of male internal sex development

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

second month of gestation for sex determination

A

the undifferentiated gonads typically develop into ovaries or testes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

third month of gestation for sex determination

A

typically either the Müllerian or Wolffian system develops while the other withers away

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

sry gene

A

normally located on the Y chromosome. encodes a protein that causes undifferentiated fetal gonads to develop into testes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

male sex organ development sequence

A

SRY Gene -> Development of tests -> embryonic testicular release of 1) antimullerian hormone 2) androgens (testosterone) -> stops the development of Mullerian system trigger & Triggers development of male sex organs (both internal and external)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

defeminizing effect

A

Effect of anti-Müllerian hormone early in development, which prevents the development of the female-typical internal anatomy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
masculinizing effect
Effect of androgen hormones early in development, which triggers the development of male-typical anatomy
26
androgens
Male sex hormones
27
what is the most common mammalian androgen
testosterone
28
what triggers the development of male external sexual anatomy
dihydrotesetorone (made from testosterone)
29
female sexual organ development sequence
XX chromosome -> development of ovaries (which are largely silent until puberty) -> puberty is triggered by hormones released from gonads
30
absence of anti-mullerian signalling in females
the Mullerian system develops into internal female reproductive anatomy, which includes the inner vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes.
31
absence of testosterone signalling in females
external female sex organs (vulva) develop while the Wolffian (male internal) system withers away.
32
what is needed for the development of gonads
the SRY gene or two X chromosomes
33
turner syndrome
you only have one sex chromosome (X0), so don’t have ovaries or testes
34
swyer syndrome
you are XY but have a bad SRY so the gonads don’t develop
35
do gonads develop in people with turner syndrome and swyer syndrome?
In both cases, gonads don’t develop, but female-typical sex organs develop normally
36
are people without gonads fertile?
People without gonads are infertile and can go through puberty through artificial hormone injections
37
people with more than two x chromosomes and the sry gene
typically develop as males and are often infertile with small testes and have trouble growing a beard.
38
what 2 hormones do the testes of healthy males release
anti-Mullerian and androgen
39
what types of molecules are anti-Mullerian and androgen
peptides that work via g-protein-gated metabotropic receptors
40
what happens if there is insufficient anti-mullerian signalling
they will have insufficient anti-Müllerian hormone signalling. Causes insufficient anatomical defeminization: both male and female internal sex organs will develop and get tangled together. there is often functional external male genitalia
41
what happens if there is insuffiscient androgen signalling?
they have androgen insensitivity syndrome
42
androgen insensitivity syndrome
Results in anatomical defeminization with partial or no masculinization
43
severe cases of androgen insensitivity syndrome
no internal sex organs develop. In these cases, people typically develop normal external female genitalia and identify as heterosexual women, but they will be infertile and have a short vagina
44
mild cases of androgen insensitivity syndrome
external genetalia is fully masculinized
45
intermediate cases of androgen insensitivity syndrome
ambiguous external genitalia
46
organizational effects
Effect of sex hormones during the development of the body
47
behavioural defemnization
Refers to the organizational effect of androgens on the brain that prevents animals from displaying female-typical behaviours in adulthood
48
behavioural masculinzation
Refers to the organizational effect of androgens on the brain that enables animals to engage in male-typical behaviours in adulthood
49
activational effects
Effects of sex hormones after puberty
50
examples of activational effects
The production of sperm, ovulation and general horniness
51
how do the mind and body respond to activational hormone signalling in adulthood?
depends on how the body and brain were organized by hormone signalling in utero.
52
hormone control puberty steps
1. Starts with the release of the peptide kisspeptin in the hypothalamus 2. It goes over to another group of hypothalamus neurons, which causes it to release gonadotropic hormones 3, It diffuses into the pituitary, which releases follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)
53
kisspeptin
Neuropeptide produced by neurons in the hypothalamus that initiates puberty and maintains reproductive ability by triggering the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone
54
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone
Hypothalamic hormone that stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to secrete gonadotropic hormones
55
Gonadotropic hormones
Hormones of the pituitary gland (follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH, and luteinizing hormone, LH) that have a stimulating effect on cells of gonads.
56
t or f: men resemble other mammals in their behavioural responsiveness to testosterone
true
57
effect of testosterone on male sexual behaviour
With normal levels of testosterone, men can be fertile; without testosterone sperm production ceases, and sooner or later, so does the ability to have sex.
58
what happens to men taking a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist
they will not show testicular release of androgens and have a decrease in sexual interest and intercourse
59
estrogen
Class of sex hormones released by the ovaries that cause maturation of the physical features and characteristics of females, such as the growth of breast tissue and female genitalia
60
estradiol
Principal estrogen of many mammals, including humans
61
how are the menstrual and estrous cycles controlled?
controlled by the two ovarian hormones estradiol and progesterone
62
main difference between the menstrual and estrous cycles
Relative to the estrous cycle, menstrual cycles are associated with only very small fluctuations in sexual behaviour and sexual desire.
63
what animals use the menstrual vs. estrous cycle?
menstrual cycle: primates estrous cycle: most non-primate mammals
64
characterization of menstrual vs. estrous cycle
menstrual cycle: characterized by menstruation, concealed ovulation, and the absence of a mating season estrous cycle: no menstruation; animals reabsorb their endometrium and display clear outward signs of ovulation and fertilityt
65
organizational effects of hormones on the body in humans
are largely over by birth
66
organizational effects of hormones on the body in rodents
continue for a few weeks after birth
67
how can we masculinize or feminize the brain of rodents?
by altering hormone signalling immediately after birth
68
effect of castration after birth on male mice
they develop female typical behaviours
69
effect of female hormone injection on castrated male mice
they will try to get other males to have sex with them
70
effect of female hormone injection on non-castrated male mice
there are minimal behavioural consequences
71
rodent sexual behaviour in the presence of testosterone
Around the time of birth, testosterone masculinizes and defeminizes rodents’ sexual behaviour
72
human adrenal glands
are present in men and women. They typically secrete a small number of androgens
73
excessive androgen signalling from adrenal glands in males
minimal effect since their tests already secrete tons of androgens
74
excessive androgen signalling from adrenal glands in females
causes cogenital adrena hyperplasia (CAH)
75
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)
Excessive androgen signalling in females that is present at birth
76
implication of androgen signalling research
homosexuality and transgenderism might be caused by variations in the timing and effectiveness of androgen signalling during the development of particular brain regions
77
effect of androgen signalling during development
sex organs can become slightly masculinized
78
oxytocin & vasopressin
Released during sex, birth, and breastfeeding
79
effect of increasing oxytocin & vasopressin receptor expression
causes non-monogamous prairie voles to form monogamous pair bonds
80
female sexual behaviour neural circuitry
Ventromedial nucleus (VMH) -> Periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) -> Nucleus Pargigantocellularis (nPGI) -> motor neurons in the spinal cord
81
male sexual behaviour neural circuitry
Medial preoptic area (mPOA) -> Periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) -> Nucleus Pargigantocellularis (nPGI) -> motor neurons in the spinal cord
82
what system does the Anti-Mullerian hormone signal to?
Mullerian system
83
what system do androgen hormones signal to?
the Wolffian system and the Primordial external system
84
what happens if the ventromedial nucleus and medial preoptic area are lesioned
there is no sexual behaviour
85
how did researchers identify the neural circuitry of sexual behaviour?
by injecting transneuronal retrograde tracers (ex. rabies virus) in muscles responsible for lordosis response
86
Periaquaductal gray matter (PAG)
- destruction abolishes sexual behaviour - Estradiol treatment or stimulation of VMH increases neural activity - Neurons contain estrogen and progesterone receptors
87
Nucleus Paragigantocellularis (nPGI)
normally inhibits mating behaviour
88
medial amygdala
- gets sensory information from all the different sensory systems and produces sexual arousal - Causes production of Fos protein - Neurons contain estrogen and progesterone
89
ventromedial nucleus (VMH)
A large nucleus in the hypothalamus critical for the female sexual response
90
electrical stimulation of VMH in females
facilitates sexual behaviour
91
Media preoptic area (mPOA)
Nucleus in the anterior hypothalamus that plays an essential role in male sexual behaviour
92
electrical stimulation of mPOA in males
facilitates sexual behaviour
93
electrical stimulation of mPOA in female
doesn't affect sexual behaviour, but causes them to ignore their offspring
94
sexually dimorphic nucleus
found in the medial preoptic area. is bigger in males than females
95
who posesses mPOA?
both males and females
96
who possesses VMH
just females
97
how are vasopressin and oxytocin released?
as neuropeptides in the brian and hormones in the blood
98
do peptides cross the blood-brain barrier?
not very well
99
what things cross the blood-brain barrier?
lipid-soluble things

PSYC 211 (23 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions