Sex and stress Flashcards
define stress
physiological reaction to the perception of threatening events
what secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine in the fight/flight response
adrenal medulla
what secretes cortisol
adrenal cortex
what does ep/norepinephrine do
affects glucose metabolism, increases heart rate and blood pressure
what does cortisol do
coverts protein to glucose, fats available for energy, increase blood flow
what is cortisol
a glucocorticoid
stages in control of glucocorticoids
PVN of the hypothalamus secretes a peptide - CRH
CRH stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to release ACTH
ACTH enters the general circulation and stimulates the adrenal cortex to release glucocorticoids
long-term health effects of stress
increased blood pressure - damage to muscle tissue
increased fertility - suppress immune system
increase steroid diabetes - inhibit growth
what are the three classes of sex organs
gonads, internal genitalia, external genitalia
what are the gonads and their two roles
testes/overies - 1st organ to develop
produce sperm/ova
secrete hormones - organisation and activation effects
what is Sry and what does it do
Sex-determining Region Y
gene on the Y chromosome - causes gonads to become testes
whats signifiant about the 3rd month of gestation
until then, embryo possesses the precursors to both male and female sex organs
what are the male and female systems called
Mullerian - M
Wollffian - F
what happens to make a male
one precursor withers, testes secrete anti-Mullerian hormone and Andrognes eg. testosterone - masculinising effect
what is androgen sensitivity syndrome
genetically male - XY
mutation prevents the formation of androgen receptors
primitive gonads - testes - secrete anti-mullarian hormone which prevents internal genitalia development
androgens have no effect - no masculinisation
what is persistent Mullerian duct syndrome
individual develops both sets of internal sex organs
caused by either absence of anti-mullerian hormone or absence of receptors for this hormone
what is turners syndrome
caused by the development of X0 fetus - no Y chromosome - testes don’t develop
But need XX to produce ovaries - so they aren’t present either
but still develop normal female internal and external genitalia
what is androgenital syndrome
decrease in the levels of cortisol released from the adrenal cortex = high levels of adrenal androgens - little effect on males
females - enlarged clitoris, infused labia - ambiguouos external sex organs
no female hormones are needed for the development of what
external sex organs
what does the development of male sex organs depend on
androgen
onset of puberty occurs when
hypothalamus secretes gonadotrophin-releasing hormones (GnRH)
what do GnRH do
stimulate the anterior pituitary gland to release gonadotrophic hormones
name a gonadotrophic hormone
follicle stimulating hormone - FSH
what do the gonadotrophic hormones do in women
enables menstruation, ovaries secrete estrogens
