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Psyc 342 > reproductive behaviour and ECDs > Flashcards

reproductive behaviour and ECDs Flashcards

1
Q

sexual behaviours

A

set of actions with the primary aim of ensuring that the male sperm is delivered successfully to the female ova

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2
Q

sex drive/libido

A

motivational force that drives individuals to seek out members of the opposite sex and copulate with them

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3
Q

physiological costs of sexual behaviour

A

female eggs are ‘expensive’ to produce

they are limited in supply

whereas male sperm is cheap

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4
Q

T/F: for most animals, sexual behaviours occur in a sequence of fairly well-defined stages

A

true

at each stage, individual must be responding to both internal and external factors, each of which has some influence on current behaviour

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5
Q

initially, sexual behaviours were defined in terms of…

A

appetitive stage

consummatory stage

this two-stage distinction has since been applied to other behaviours:
- feeding
- aggression
- drug-taking behaviours

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6
Q

appetitive behaviours

A

bring the individual into contact with the particular goal at hand

ie. brings you close to a sexually receptive individual

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7
Q

consummatory behaviours

A

performed when individuals are in contact with their primary goal

tend to be more highly stereotyped and species-specific

probably innate

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8
Q

4 components of male sexual behaviours

A
  1. mount latency
  2. intermission latency
  3. ejaculation latency
  4. post-ejaculatory refractory period
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9
Q

mount latency

A

time from when a male and female are first introduced to when the first mount occurs

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10
Q

intermission latency

A

time from when they are first engaged in penile penetration

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11
Q

ejaculation latency

A

time between the first intromission and ejaculation

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12
Q

post-ejaculatory refractory period

A

time between ejaculation and resuming sexual search

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13
Q

3 components of female sexual behaviours

A
  1. attractivity
  2. proceptivity
  3. receptivity
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14
Q

attractivity

A

stimulus value of the female to a male

ie. if male chooses to spend more time with a particular female

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15
Q

proceptivity

A

extent to which a female will initiate socio-sexual encounters with males

thus reflects both her overt behaviours and her underlying motivational state

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16
Q

receptivity

A

state of responsiveness of the female to the sexual initiation of the male

ie. lordosis

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17
Q
A
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18
Q

the shorter the latencies of components of male/female sexual behaviour…

A

the stronger the sex drive

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19
Q

pheromones - hormones/sexual behaviours in male animal models

A

smearing immobilized male hamsters with vaginal secretions from estrous female

leads to other males attempting to mount these hapless males

immobilized males free from pheromones did not elicit this behaviour in other males

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20
Q

reductions in mount latency can result from what 2 things? animal models

A
  1. exposure to pheromones 10 mins before meeting receptive female
  2. injections of testosterone
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21
Q

period of max sexual receptivity in females

A

ESTRUS phase of the cycle

aka “heat”

period of max sexual receptivity and fertility

males are most attracted to females in “heat”

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22
Q

injections of ______ could serve just as well as testosterone in promoting masculine sexual behaviours

A

estrogen

hypothesized that testosterone exerts its neurological effects after being converted into estradiol via aromatase

so it’s not only testosterone - because testosterone likely must be converted into estrogen to have effect

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23
Q

essential brain region to control of sexual performance in male rats

A

preoptic area (POA)

appears especially important for integration of:
- environmental
- physiological
- psychological info
prior to and during successful copulation

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24
Q

POA lesions

A

reduce/eliminate male sexual behaviour

virtually in every vertebrate species

POA lesions destroy connections to dopaminergic nerons in VTA

impairs POA regulation of dopaminergic activity

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25
Q

preoptic neurons project…

A

to several brain regions

including dopaminergic neurons in VTA

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26
Q

drugs that increase dopamine synthesis/stimulate postsynaptic dopamine receptor sites…

A

should also facilitate copulatory behaviour in males

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27
Q

beyond testosterone, approx 50% increase of extracellular dopamine in mPOA is associated with…

A

higher copulation

regardless of testosterone concentrations

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28
Q

sexual desire

A

subjective psychological state in which individual displays interest in sexual stimuli

motivated towards seeking sexual activities

though may not be sexually aroused

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29
Q

sexual arousal

A

2 part process

  1. physiological: genital sexual arousal
  2. subjective awareness that one is genitally and/or physiologically aroused
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30
Q

how to measure sexual desire?

A

questionnaires, surveys
- “top 50 reasons why men have sex”

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31
Q

how to measure sexual arousal?

A

objective measures:
- heart rate
- blood pressure monitoring
- latency to achieve orgasm
- measurement of penile erection via penile plethysmograph

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32
Q

penile plethysmograph

A

measures volume of displaced air as penis enlarges

designed to prevent young males from avoiding military service by pretending to be homosexual

device = placed over penis, shown erotic heterosexual material

air displacement would provide evidence of their “manliness” to fight

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33
Q

hypogonadism

A

condition in which the body produces insufficient levels of sex hormonees

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34
Q

effects of testosterone treatment on hypogonadal men SETUP

A

men with low concentrations of blood plasma testosterone (<3 mg/ml) received 3 injections 6 weeks apart

  1. placebo
  2. low dose (100 mg)
  3. high dose (400 mg)
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35
Q

effects of testosterone treatment on hypogonadal men RESULTS

A

patients’ self-reports indicated the incidence of erections and certain sexual behaviours also increased in dose-dependent manner

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36
Q

testosterone treatment effects on sexual behaviour in men with regular levels of testosterone?

A

weak evidence

testosterone intervention groups showed increase only for the search of auditory or visual sexual stimuli

other behavioural measures (ie. masturbation, sexual intercourse etc) showed no differences between the groups

currently: understood that once a threshold of serum testosterone has been achieved (low normal range) this is sufficient to normalize sexual function/motivation
- increasing testosterone levels to high normal range had no additional effect on sexual behaviours

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37
Q

understood that once a threshold of serum testosterone has been achieved…

A

understood that once a threshold of serum testosterone has been achieved (low normal range) this is sufficient to normalize sexual function/motivation

increasing testosterone levels to high normal range had no additional effect on sexual behaviours

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38
Q

4 phases of the menstrual cycle

A
  1. menstrual phase (days 1-5)
  2. proliferative phase (days 6-14)
  3. ovulation (day 14)
  4. secretory phase (day 15-28)
39
Q

menstrual phase (day 1-5)

A

when uterine lining, which has thickened in prep for pregnancy, is shed in the absence of fertilization

menstrual bleeding - 3-7 days

shedding of endometrium is triggered by decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels

40
Q

what triggers the shedding of the endometrium?

A

a decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels

41
Q

proliferative phase (day 6-14)

A

following menstruation

begins as ovaries, in response to FSH, start to produce increasing amounts of estrogen

estrogen stimulates growth and thickening of endometrium, preparing it to receive a fertilized egg (embryo) in the event of conception

42
Q

ovulation (day 14)

A

ovulation = midpoint of menstrual cycle

triggered by surge in LH from pituitary gland

LH causes the dominant ovarian follicle to release a mature egg (ovum) into the fallopian tube

most fertile period of menstrual cycle

43
Q

most fertile period of menstrual cycle

A

ovulation

44
Q

secretory phase (day 15-28)

A

after ovulation

secretion of progesterone from corpus luteum (which forms from collapsed ovarian follicle after ovulation)

progesterone helps to further thicken the endometrium, making it more conducive to embryo implantation

if fertilization and implantation don’t occur, corpus luteum regresses, leading to decline in progesterone levels

45
Q

facial preference test: women during different phases of menstrual cycle

A

women in FOLLICULAR phase = attracted to more MASCULINE faces

46
Q

4 correlational findings associated with follicular phase

A
  1. greater preference for more masculinized and symmetrical male faces
  2. in short-term relationship, preference for masculanized
  3. higher level of sexual arousal (subjective and objective) in experimental sexually eliciting setting
  4. higher probability of short-term encounters, and flirting with men other than current partner
47
Q

4 correlational findings associated with luteal phase

A
  1. preferences for apparent health displayed in male faces
  2. such preferences for apparent health = stronger in pregnant women and women using oral contraceptives
  3. estimated progesterone levels = positively related to preferences for femininity in male faces
  4. women in stage of high estimated progesterone showed more commitment to their relationships
48
Q

female body odour as potential cue to ovulation t-shirt study SETUP

A

women were asked to wear t-shirt for 3 consecutive nights during late follicular (ovulatory) phase

and another t-shirt during the luteal (non-ovulatory) phase

male raters judged the odours of the t-shirts in terms of sexiness and pleasantness

49
Q

female body odour as potential cue to ovulation t-shirt study RESULTS

A

ratings of sexiness and pleasantness were almost 4 times higher for the follicular phase t-shirts

a subsampling were OVULATING as well - and these t-shirts had even higher ratings

50
Q

female body odour as potential cue to ovulation t-shirt study - findings were replicated with…

A

ratings of PICTURES

pictures of women with HIGHER ESTROGEN levels = viewed as MORE FEMININE, ATTRACTIVE and HEALTHY than those representing females with lower estrogen levels

51
Q

menstrual cycle and contraceptive pills

A

normal menstrual cycle:
a) estrogen peaks during follicular phase
b) progesterone peaks during luteal phase

on the pill:
a) active pill phase (day 1-21)
- prevent ovulation by inhibiting release of FSH and LH hormones from pituitary
- high progesterone

b) placebo/inactive pill phase (day 22-28)
- progesterone drops

estrogen is super low the whole time

52
Q

what is a result of pill-users having more stable levels of progesterone and estrogen throughout the cycle?

A

lower sexual behaviour variations

in this scenario, testosterone is more relevant

in pill users, FREE TESTOSTERONE = significantly positively related to multiple measures of sexual behaviour

53
Q

in pill users, testosterone is significantly positively related to…

A
  1. sexual thoughts
  2. sexual desires
  3. anticipation of sexual acitivity
54
Q

face preference in long-term context for pill users versus non-pill users

A

normally cycling women: prefer FEWER MASCULINE faces in long-term context compared with short-term context

in pill users, this difference disappeared

55
Q

men show preference for women in what phase of the menstrual cycle?

A

fertile phase

at least when it comes to a short-term context

BUT in pill users, there was no change in their attractiveness to males during the fertile phase - suggests the pill interrupts cycling attractiveness of women towards men

56
Q

6 main summary points

A
  1. sex steroid hormones clearly don’t act as a “switch” to activate sexual behaviour. presence of testosterone doesn’t automatically stimulate mating behaviour; rather, testosterone/its metabolites increase the probability that a sexual behaviour will occur in presence of specific stimuli
  2. mPOA appears crucial for integrating sensory and internal stimuli in order for normal copulation to occur
  3. testosterone must be converted into estrogen to have behavioural effects in males
  4. estrogen = primary female sex hormone and fluctuates throughout menstrual cycle, peaking during follicular phase
  5. progesterone is another important female sex hormone, produced primarily during luteal phase (after ovulation). modulates effects of estrogen on sexual arousal and behaviour. potentially impacts sexual activity and interest at diff points in cycle
  6. contextual psychological factors and relationship dynamics also play significant roles in shaping female sexual behaviour
57
Q

EDC background

A

endocrine disrupting chemicals

man-made chemicals have become part of everyday lay

some of these chemical pollutants can affect endocrine system

interfere with important developmental processes in humans and wildlife

58
Q

3 strands of evidence for concerns over EDCs

A
  1. high incidence/increasing trends of many ENDOCRINE RELATED DISORDERS in humans
  2. observations of endocrine-related effects in WILDLIFE populations
  3. identification of CHEMICALS with endocrine disrupting properties linked to disease outcomes in lab studies
59
Q

number of chemicals known/suspected to be able to interfere hormone receptors, hormone synthesis or hormone conversion

A

800

however, only a small fraction of these chemicals have been investigated in tests capable of identifying overt endocrine effects in intact organisms

60
Q

what are EDCs?

A

endocrine disrupting chemicals

EXOGENOUS substance/mixture that alters function(s) of endocrine system

consequently causes adverse health effects in organism/its progeny

61
Q

diverse systems affected by EDCs likely include…

A

all hormonal systems

range from controlling development/function of reproductive organs

to the tissues/organs regulating metabolism and satiety

62
Q

10 key characteristics of EDCs

A
  1. receptor ligand or agonist
  2. receptor antagonist
  3. receptor expression
  4. signal transduction
  5. epigenetic alterations
  6. hormone synthesis
  7. hormone transport
  8. hormone distribution or circulating hormone levels
  9. hormone breakdown or clearance
  10. fate

can interfere in almost any component of the endocrine system

63
Q

EDC examples

A
  1. PESTICIDES: DDT, chlorpyrifos, atrazine
  2. CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS: lead, phthalates, cadmium
  3. FOOD CONTACT MATERIALS: BPA, phthalates, phenol
  4. ELECTRONICS/BUILDING MATERIALS: brominated flames retardants, PCBs
  5. PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS, MEDICAL TUBING: phthalates
  6. ANTIBACTERIALS: triclosan
  7. TEXTILES/CLOTHING: perfluorochemicals
64
Q

POPs

A

persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs)

persist a long time in environment

high toxicity

bioaccumulate

65
Q

4 examples of POPs

A
  1. polychlorinated biphenyls
  2. organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)
  3. plasticizers and nonyphenols
  4. heavy metals
66
Q

BPA stands for…

A

bisphenol A

67
Q

BPA - 4 points

A
  1. found in plasticizers
  2. known deleterious mechanism of action on ESTROGEN and ANDROGEN receptors
  3. hormones important for female and male sexual/reproductive development
  4. BPA has been linked to hormone-related side effects including INFERTILITY, and BREAST/PROSTATE CANCERS
68
Q

6 routes of exposure to EDCs

A
  1. oral consumption of contaminated food/water
  2. contact with skin and/or inhalation
  3. intravenous
  4. application to skin
  5. biological transfer from placenta
  6. biological transfer from mother’s milk
69
Q

EDC exposure: oral consumption of contaminated food/water

A
  1. industrial waste/pesticides contaminating soil or ground water
  2. leaching of chemicals from food/beverage containers, pesticide residues in food/beverage

PCBs, DDT, BPA, phthalates…

70
Q

EDC exposure: contact with skin and/or inhalation

A
  1. household furniture treated with flame retardants
  2. pesticides used in agriculture, homes, or for public disease vector control

BFRs, DDT, chlorpyrifos…

71
Q

EDC exposure: intravenous

A

intravenous tubing

phthalates

72
Q

EDC exposure: application to skin

A

some cosmetics, personal care products, anti-bacterials, sunscreens, medications

phthalates, triclosan, Parabens, insect repellants

73
Q

EDC exposure: biological transfer from placenta

A

maternal body burden due to prior/current exposures

numerous EDCs can cross placenta

74
Q

EDC exposure: transfer from mother’s milk

A

maternal body burden due to prior/current exposures

numerous EDCs are detected in milk

75
Q

EDC exposure during sensitive windows of development

A

more detrimental during certain stages

sensitivity to endocrine disruption is HIGHEST during TISSUE DEVELOPMENT

effects of adult exposures seem to go away when the EDC is removed

TIMING of exposure is CRITICAL

76
Q

because of endocrine system’s critical role in so many important physiological functions, impairments in any part of the endocrine system can…

A

lead to disease or even death

by interfering with body’s endocrine systems. EDC exposure can therefore perturb many functions

77
Q

biomonitoring

A

measurement of chemicals in body fluids and tissues

78
Q

biomonitoring shows that…

A

nearly 100% of humans have a man-made chemical body detectable in…

blood, urine, placenta, umbilical cord blood, body tissues like adipose tissue (fat)

79
Q

EDCs and female reproductive functions

A

antagonists of estrogen/progesterone receptors in females

  1. disrupted hormone action
  2. irregular cycles
  3. decreased fertility
  4. infertility
  5. polycystic ovarian syndrome
  6. endometriosis
  7. hormone sensitive cancer
  8. precocious/delayed puberty
  9. adverse birth outcomes
80
Q

some known mechanisms of EDCs on female reproductive functions

A

EDCs interfere with:

  1. estrogen hormone receptors
  2. enzymes involved in ovarian steroidogenesis
  3. folliculogenesis
81
Q

EDCs can affect male reproduction by…

A
  1. decrease in sperm count, reduced sperm motility and abnormal sperm morphology
  2. undescended testis, prostate and testicular cancer
  3. inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase
82
Q

what’s been happening to the adverse effects of EDGs on male reproductive functions in the last decades?

A

increasing significantly

83
Q

what has been linked to abnormal sperm morphology, count and motility?

A

occupational exposure to pesticides

BPA especially

84
Q

5 alpha-reductase deficiency

A

genetic males (XY) with 5 alpha reductase deficiency = born with ambiguous genitalia, small/undescended testes

usually considered female at birth, reared as females

at puberty, when testosterone masculinizes body (male-typical musculature and auxiliary hair growth)…

genitalia develop to resemble male-typical penis and scrotum

85
Q

recent evidence shows that Y/X ratio of live spermatozoa was significantly…

A

LOWER in sperm treated with EDCs than control spermatozoa

86
Q

EDCs affect what 3 other endocrine pathways?

A
  1. thyroid hormones
  2. fat tissue hormones
  3. adrenal hormones
87
Q

EDCs and thyroid hormones

A

EDCs can disrupt the:
- production
- transport
- metabolism
- signalling
of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4)

main associations: hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer

88
Q

EDCs and fat tissue hormones

A

EDCs have also been linked to disrupting HYPOTHALAMIC CONTROL of food intake and energy balance

main associations: POPs are known to bioaccumulate in body fat, stimulate adipogenesis - leading to obesity

89
Q

EDCs and adrenal hormones

A

various steps in adrenocortical steroidogenic pathway may be disrupted by exogenous chemicals

main associations: interfere with synthesis of cortisol and adrenaline within adrenal gland, leading to hormone level imbalances

90
Q

EDCs and risk for type 2 diabetes

A

EDCs may direct INTERFERENCE with GLUCOSE METABOLISM and lead to type 2 diabetes

DDT and BPA = shown to cause GLUCOSE TOLERANCE and disruption of insulin secretion

91
Q

EDCs and type 2 diabetes: association studies with humans have shown…

A
  1. polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) serum levels associated with diabetes in women
  2. dioxins, pesticides and BPA are related to prevalence of diabetes
92
Q

recommendations to prevent EDC exposure

A
  1. pregnant women should avoid contact with and inhalation of chemicals
  2. children should be protected from chemical insults
  3. one should avoid consumption of chemical and contaminated food/water/swimming
  4. plastic, nonylphenols, petroleum products and industrial fluids shouldn’t be burned
  5. hot drinks in plastic cups should be avoided because plasticizers leach into the fluid when warm
  6. glassware is recommended for consumption of warm food/drinks
  7. warm pudding/similar foods shouldn’t be served in plastic cups/plates
93
Q

PFOA is used to…

A

make Teflon

but Teflon has been PFOA-free since 2013

today’s nonstick/Teflon cookware is considered safe for everyday home cooking, as long as temperatures don’t exceed 500 degrees F/260 degrees C

Psyc 342 (10 decks)

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