Sex and Pair Bonding Flashcards
What is the difference between exocrine and endocrine glands?
Exocrine is duct-based whereas endocrine is ductless
Which structure in the hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland?
Paraventricular nucleus
Which hormones with some sex-related function are released by anterior and posterior pituitary?
- Anterior: prolactin, ACTH, Gonadotropins
- Prosterior: oxytocin, vasopressin
What are the three main classes of sex hormones and which glands release these?
- Androgen, Oestrogen and Progestins
- released by the testes, ovaries and adrenal cortex
How does the presence of testosterone affect the fate of the wolffish and müllerian systems?
If testosterone is present the wolffian system develops causing the müllerian system to degenerate. If testosterone is absent then müllerian system develops into female reproductive ducts.
What are the two areas of the adrenal gland that secrete sex steroids and epinephrine (adrenaline)?
- Adrenal medulla (releases adrenaline)
- Adrenal cortex releases sex hormones and cortisol (stress hormones)
What is SRY and what effect does it have in gonads?
- SRY is responsible for the male sex determination
- the effect it has on gonads is that it masculinises the primordial gonads to produce a male
Which 2 areas of the hypothalamus play a role in male and female sex behaviour?
- The ventromedial nucleus (female)
- The medial preoptic (male)
Which 3 sex differences were noted in terms of adult behaviour?
- autism is greater in males
- females are better at verbal function
- males have better spatial functions
What does orchidectomy tell us about testosterone levels and sexual desire in males?
- It does not effect their sex drive
- some experience a total loss of sexual interest whilst others show sexual engagement
- adrenal testosterone is still active
- sexual interest has a lot to do with the brain
What role may be played by oestrogen exposure in the womb?
- oestrogen in the womb increased attraction to females in females
Name one brain difference that has been associated with male homosexuality?
- interstitial nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus is bigger in heterosexual males than heterosexual females
Which structures are involved in the dopamine reward system?
- prefrontal cortex
- nucleus accumbens
- ventral tegmental area
How is the female response to sexual imagery modulated by the menstrual cycle?
- modulation of female sexually related behaviours depend on whether they are near ovulation (higher when ovulating)
What role does oxytocin play in mothering?
Let’s the milk down during breast feeding
Which 3 things have to happen after sex for pair-bonding to take place?
- oxytocin action
- dopamine action
- opioid action
What did Sue carter find out about oxytocin’s role in pair bonding?
It’s key to pair-bond formation and the pathway includes oxytocin receptors in the nucleus accumbens and the pre-frontal cortex
What Brian activation has been found to covary with how much one is in love with someone who’s face is visually presented?
Activation in the ventral tegmental area and the caudate (part of the basil ganglia)
How does oestrogen affect sexual decision making (and risk reward decisions) in females?
There is a greater tendency among the women who engage in decision making
What do twin studies tell us about the biological basis of homosexuality?
Because of the concordance rates between mz and dz twins there is a presence of genetic element for homosexuality
What have we learnt from experiments that introduce oxytocin intranasally?
- visual attention towards the eyes (extraction of emotional info)
- communication with partner in positive direction (reduce conflict)
- lowers stress (makes people more trusting)
- this can be induced by cervical and breast stimulation
What have we learnt about the role of vasopressin in human sexuality from intranasal dosing experiments?
- speeds up processing of sex related stimuli
- inhibits approach in men, promotes in women
- improves memory for facial emotion in men
The action of which hormone coincides with sexual signalling with dress and behaviour in female?
Luteinising hormone
What does the study on lap dancers tell us about the role of hormones in the projection of sexuality by females?
Females will project their sexuality at different levels and in different behaviours which affect their physical appearance. They earn more closer to ovulation
