Quiz 4 (Sex & Gender) Flashcards
Androgen insensitivity syndrome occurs when the androgen receptor is not responsive to testosterone. This syndrome is associated with all of the following characteristics EXCEPT:
- A) an undeveloped Wolffian tract.
- B) an XY genotype.
- C) testes.
- D) ovaries.
D) Ovaries.
Individuals with androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) have an XY genotype, testes, and undeveloped Wolffian tracts due to their bodies’ inability to respond to androgens like testosterone. However, they do not have ovaries
Androgenital syndrome occurs when excessive testosterone is being produced by the _______ in utero. In an XX genetic female, this can lead to ________.
- A) adrenal glands; heightened fertility.
- B) testes; infertility.
- C) testes; ambiguous genitalia.
- D) adrenal glands; ambiguous genitalia.
D) adrenal glands; ambiguous genitalia.
Androgenital syndrome results from a malfunction in cortisol production, leading to excessive testosterone, which can cause ambiguous genitalia in XX females
In theory, what would you expect to happen if you put Sry protein into an XX embryo around 7 weeks of gestation?
- A) you would drive development of testes, which would subsequently lead to development of the Wolffian tract and male genitals.
- B) you would drive development of ovaries, and this would NOT subsequently lead to development of the Mullerian tract and female genitals.
- C) you would drive development of ovaries, and this would subsequently lead to development of the Mullerian tract and female genitals.
- D) you would drive development of testes, but this would NOT subsequently lead to development of the Wolffian tract and male genitals.
A) you would drive development of testes, which would subsequently lead to development of the Wolffian tract and male genitals.
The Sry gene (located on the Y chromosome) is responsible for initiating the development of testes in XY embryos. In the absence of the Sry gene (as in typical XX embryos), the Müllerian system develops, leading to ovaries and female genitalia.
The development of the Wolffian tract and full male genitals requires both testosterone and Müllerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS), which are typically produced by the testes
In a 21 year old adult male, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is released in a _________________ rhythm.
circahoral
In adult males, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is released in a circahoral rhythm, with pulses occurring approximately every 1-3 hours. This rhythmic release maintains steady pulses of GnRH, which in turn regulates the release of LH and FSH from the pituitary and stimulates testosterone production
Match these hormones with the structures that make them:
- gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH):
- FSH + LH:
- testosterone:
- oestrogen:
- A) hypothalamus.
- B) pituitary gland.
- C) gonad > ovary.
- D) gonad > testis.
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH): A) hypothalamus
- FSH + LH: B) pituitary gland
- Testosterone: D) gonad > testis
- Oestrogen: C) gonad > ovary
Secondary sex characteristics are phenotypic characteristics that: (NB conspecifics = members of the same species).
- A) develop during puberty to help signal sexual differentiation to conspecifics.
- B) develop at birth to help signal sexual vigour to conspecifics.
- C) develop during puberty to help signal sexual vigour to conspecifics.
- D) develop at birth to help signal sexual differentiation to conspecifics
A) develop during puberty to help signal sexual differentiation to conspecifics.
Secondary sex characteristics emerge during puberty and signal sexual differentiation, such as body hair and body shape
__________ is a hormone produced in the brain and it is thought to be critical for the initiation of puberty; it exerts stimulatory effects on the GnRH neurons of the HPG axis.
Kisspeptin
A peptide hormone produced in the hypothalamus, is a critical permissive factor for the initiation of puberty. Kisspeptin activates receptors on GnRH-producing neurons in the hypothalamus, allowing the HPG axis to start the puberty process. Mutations in kisspeptin receptors can result in delayed or absent puberty
Which of the following statements is correct regarding testosterone (TEST) and sexual vigour in adult male laboratory rats?
- A) Elimination of TEST reduces reproductive behaviours; reinstatement of TEST has no effect.
- B) Rats with higher TEST exhibited more reproductive behaviours.
- C) Elimination of TEST reduces reproductive behaviours; reinstatement of TEST restores these behaviours.
- D) Rats with higher estradiol (aromatised from TEST) exhibit more reproductive behaviours.
C) Elimination of TEST reduces reproductive behaviours; reinstatement of TEST restores these behaviours
Recall information presented about the Cass Review in Week 8, then decide which of the following statements is not correct as per the lecture.
- A) Puberty blockers can no longer be prescribed to trans-identifying youth in the UK unless as part of a clinical trial.
- B) There has been a significant surge in young people in the UK presenting at clinics with gender dysphoria, but the remains for this surge remain unclear.
- C) The evidence base on the use of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria is extremely limited and no firm conclusions can be drawn from it.
- D) There is no way of identifying who will or will not have an enduring transgender identity, however it is likely that some trans-identifying youth could benefit from puberty blockers.
- E) The vast majority of young people taking puberty blockers go on to receive Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT), but this may simply mean they were placed on a medical pathway that treats all non-binary identities equally, rather than reflect a true need for GAHT in all cases.
- F) This is a trick question. All these points are correct as per the lecture.
F) This is a trick question. All these points are correct as per the lecture
Which of the following statements correctly describes the mode of action for sildenafil (Viagra™)?
- A) the drug is a mild psychostimulant, which boosts sex drive (libido).
- B) the drug is an agonist for the androgen receptor, which boosts sex drive (libido).
- C) the drug is an inhibitor of the PDE5 enzyme, which then facilitates erections.
- D) the drug assists in blood vessel dilation, which facilitates erections.
C) the drug is an inhibitor of the PDE5 enzyme, which then facilitates erections
Recall your viewing “Why am I Gay?”, from Week 7. Blanchard & Bogaert (1996) found that having an ______________ increased the chance of a male being gay by 33%. According to a follow-up study, this is believed to be due to an immune response involving antibodies produced against a protein called _________. In 1993, Hamer found that a gene called _________ (sometimes referred to as the “gay gene”) that is found on the __________ chromosome was associated with male homosexuality. However, there are at least 5 genetic markers associated with this phenotype in men, and their overall contribution to sexual orientation is thought to be low.
Older brother; NLGN4Y; Xq28; X
Recall your reading “Age of Uncertainty” from Week 8. Some statistics were presented in the article that suggest gender identity might be in a state of flux for many people during puberty. For example, ______ to ______ percent of gender-dysphoric youth do not go on to have gender dysphoria in adulthood. This, according to the article, is a worry, as most individuals prescribed puberty blockers go on to receive cross-sex hormone therapy. If these statistics are correct, many young people are receiving puberty blockers unnecessarily, and with lifechanging consequences. However, according to one study mentioned in the article, of those who do go on to transition, less than _____ percent report regretting their decision.
75 to 95 percent; less than 1 percent
___________ insensitivity syndrome occurs when the ___________ receptor is not responsive to testosterone. This syndrome is associated with an undeveloped Wolffian tract, an XY genotype and testes.
Androgen; androgen
Androgen insensitivity syndrome occurs when the androgen receptor is not responsive to __________. This syndrome is associated with an undeveloped Wolffian tract, an XY genotype and testes.
testosterone
Androgen insensitivity syndrome occurs when the androgen receptor is not responsive to testosterone. This syndrome is associated with an undeveloped _________ tract, an ___ genotype and ________.
Wolffian tract, an XY genotype and testes.
