Neural Control of Pelvic Function 6 Flashcards

Outline the coordination of somatic, sympathetic and parasympathetic activity in sexual function.

1
Q

What is a major region for the neural control of sexual behavior?

A
  • Medial preoptic region of the hypothalamus
    • lesions to this area in animals diminish or abolism sexual behavior
    • stimulation here elicits sexual behavior
    • many sexual responses and sexual motivation remain after lesions
    • input from limbic, olfactory, and cortical regions
  • Receptors in the medial preoptic region
    • for androgens
    • for estrogen
    • for progesterobne
    • allows integration of hormonal status and behavior
  • A common view is that sexual function is organized at the spinal level and these responses are under mostly descending control
    • mostly inhibitory
    • some facilitory
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2
Q

What are the neural mechanisms for male arousal?

A
  • Penile vasodilation mediated by the cavernous nerve
    • originates in the pelvic plexus and travels alongside prostate and urethra
    • contains both sympathetic and parasympathetic postganglionic neurons
  • Vasodilation is primarily mediated by nitric oxide
  • Contraction of penile muscles is mediated by pudendal nerve
  • Erection can be mediated by both direct genital stimulation (reflexogenic erection) or by CNS control (psychogenic erection)
    • genital sensory information is carried primarily by the pudendal nerve
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3
Q

What are the neural mechanisms of emission in the male climax?

A
  • Both sympathetic and parasympathetic mechanisms are involved in emission
  • Glandular secretion is increased by stimulation of fluid production by both ACh and NE
    • contraction of myoepithelial cells from NE
  • Ductus deferens motility is increased by both NE and ACh
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4
Q

What are the neural mechanisms involved in ejaculation of the male climax?

A
  • Stereotyped response mediated by a central pattern generator
  • Response is elicited by a combination of genital sensory stimulation and supraspinal control
  • Sensory fibers ravel in the pudendal nerve
  • Pudendal nerve also mediates contractions of muscle
  • Ejaculation generated in the caudal spinal cord
  • Spinal pattern generator under tonic descending inhibition
  • Mechanisms mediating male refractory period are unknown
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5
Q

What are the neural mechanisms that are involved in the female climax?

A
  • Little known of mechanism
  • Likely identical to males
  • Response produced by pattern generator elicted by genital and CNS stimulation
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