Unit 4

ablatio penis

accidental destruction of the penis via surgery

Adrenal Cortex

the outer layer of each adrenal gland, which releases glucocorticoids in response to stressors, as well as small amounts of steroid hormones.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone

An anterior pituitary hormone that triggers the release of adrenal hormones from the adrenal cortices.

Adrenogenital syndrome

caused by congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which results in the excessive release of adrenal androgens which have masculinizing effects in females.

Alpha fetoprotein

a protein that is present in the blood of many mammals during the perinatal period and that deactivates circulating estradiol by binding to it.

Amino acid derivative hormones

hormones that are synthesized in a few simple steps from an amino acid molecule

anabolic steroids

steroid drugs that are similar to testosterone and have powerful anabolic (growth-promoting) effects.

androgen insensitivity syndrome

results from a mutation to the androgen receptor gene that renders the androgen receptors unresponsive and leads to the development of a female body

androgens

the class of steroid hormones that includes testosterone.

androstenedione

the adrenal androgen that is responsible for the growth of pubic hair and axillary hair in human females.

anterior pituitary

the part of the pituitary gland that releases tropic hormones

aromatase

an enzyme that promotes the conversion of testosterone to estradiol

aromatization

the chemical process by which testosterone is converted to estradiol

aromatization hypothesis

the hypothesis that the brain is masculinized by estradiol that is produced from perinatal testosterone through a process called aromatization

asexual

not sexually attracted to others

bisexual

an individual who is sexually attracted to members of both sexes

congenital adrenal hyperplasia

a congenital deficiency in the release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex, which leads to the excessive release of adrenal androgens.

copulation

sexual intercourse

defeminizes

suppresses or disrupts female characteristics

demasculinizes

suppresses or disrupts male characteristics

ejaculation

ejection of sperm

endocrine glands

ductless glands that release chemicals called hormones directly into the circulatory system

estradiol

the most common estrogen

estrogens

the class of steroid hormones that are released in large amounts by the ovaries; an example is estradiol

estrous cycle

the cycle of sexual receptivity displayed by many female mammals

estrus

the portion of the estrous cycle characterized by proceptivity, sexual receptivity, and fertility

exocrine glands

glands that release chemicals into ducts that carry them to targets, mostly on the surface of the body

feminizes

enhances or produces female characteristics

follicle-stimulating hormone

the gonadotropic hormone that stimulates development of ovarian follicles.

fraternal birth order effect

the finding that the probability of a male being attracted to other males increases as a function of the number of older brothers he has

gay

sexually attracted to members of the same sex

gender dysphoria

the distress that can occur in people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics.

gender identity

the gender that a person most identifies with: female, male, some combination of male and female, neither female or male, or some other gender category.

genitals

the external reproductive organs

Gonadectomy

the surgical removal of the gonads (testes or ovaries); castration

gonadotropin

the pituitary tropic hormone that stimulates the release of hormones from the gonads

gonadotropin-releasing hormone

the hypothalamic releasing hormone that controls the release of the two gonadotropic hormones from the anterior pituitary

gonads

the testes and the ovaries

growth hormone

the anterior pituitary hormone that acts directly on bone and muscle tissue to produce the pubertal growth spurt

heterosexual

sexually attracted to members of the other sex

hormones

chemicals released by the endocrine system directly into the circulatory system

hypothalamopituitary portal system

the vascular network that carries hormones from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary

impotent

unable to achieve a penile erection

intersexed person

a term used to refer to a person who is born with sexual anatomy that does not clearly fit into typical definitions of male and female sexual anatomy

lesbian

women who are attracted to women

luteinizing hormone

the gonadotropic hormone that causes the developing ovum to be released from its follicle.

masculinizes

enhances or produces male characteristics

maternal immune hypothesis

the hypothesis that mothers become progressively more immune to some masculinizing hormone in their male fetuses; proposed to explain the fraternal birth order effect

medial preoptic area

the area of the hypothalamus that includes the sexually dimorphic nuclei and that plays a key role in the control of male sexual behavior

menstrual cycle

the hormone-regulated cycle in female of follicle growth, egg release, buildup of uterus lining, and menstruation

Mullerian-inhibiting substance

the testicular hormone that causes the precursor of the female reproductive ducts to degenerate and the testes to descend

Mullerian system

the embryonic precursor of the female reproductive ducts

orchidectomy

the removal of the testes

ovariectomy

the removal of the ovaries

ovaries

the female gonads

oxytocin

one of the two major peptide hormones of the posterior pituitary, which in females stimulates contractions of the uterus during labor and the ejection of milk during suckling

peptide hormones

hormones that are short chains of amino acids

pituitary stalk

the structure connecting the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland

posterior pituitary

the part of the pituitary gland that contains the terminals of hypothalamic neurons

proceptive behaviors

behaviors that solicit the sexual advances of members of the other sex

progesterone

a progestin that prepares the uterus and breasts for pregnancy

progestins

the class of steroid hormones that includes progesterone

protein hormones

hormones that are long chains of amino acids

pulsatile hormone release

the typical pattern of hormone release: hormones are discharged several times per day in large surges

release-inhibiting hormones

hypothalamic hormones that inhibit the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary

releasing hormone

hypothalamic hormones that stimulate the release of hormones from the anterior pituitary

replacement injections

injections of a hormone whose natural release has been curtailed by the removal of a gland that normally releases it

scrotum

the sac that holds the male testes outside the body cavity

secondary sex characteristics

body features, other than the reproductive organs, that distinguish males from females

sexual dimorphisms

instances where a behavior comes in two distinct classes (male or female) into which most individuals can be unambiguously assigned

sexually dimorphic nucleus

the nucleus in the medial preoptic area of rats that is larger in males than in females

Sry gene

a gene on the Y chromosome that initiates male sex determination and development.

Sry protein

a protein encoded by the Sry gene that initiates male sex determination by promoting testis development.

Steroid hormones

hormones that are synthesized from cholesterol

Supraoptic nuclei

hypothalamic nuclei in which the hormones of the posterior pituitary are synthesized

testes

the male gonads

testosterone

the most common androgen

thyrotropin

a hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones

thyrotropin-releasing hormone

a hormone produced in the hypothalamus that stimulates the release of thyrotropin from the pituitary gland.

transgender

a term used to describe individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

vasopressin

a hormone produced by the hypothalamus that helps regulate water balance in the body and blood pressure.

ventromedial nucleus

a region in the hypothalamus that plays a crucial role in regulating hunger, satiety, and body weight.

wolffian system

the duct system in male embryos that develops into the male reproductive tract under the influence of testosterone.

adaptive immune system

the division of the immune system that mounts targeted attacks on foreign pathogens by binding to antigens in their cell membranes

adrenalectomy

surgical removal of the adrenal glands

adrenal medulla

the inner part of the adrenal glands that produces catecholamines like adrenaline and norepinephrine, which are involved in the body's stress response.

aggressive behaviors

behaviors whose primary function is to threaten or harm other organisms

alpha male

the dominant male of a colony

amygdala

a structure in the anterior temporal lobe, just anterior to the hippocampus; plays a role in emotion

antibodies

proteins that bind to foreign antigens on the surface of microorganisms and in so doing promote the destruction of the microorganisms

anitbody-mediated immunity

a type of immunity that involves the production of antibodies by B cells to neutralize pathogens and protect the body from infections.

antigens

molecules, usually proteins, that can trigger an immune response

B cells

a type of white blood cell that produces antibodies in response to specific antigens, playing a crucial role in the adaptive immune response.

bullying

a chronic social threat that induces subordination stress in members of our species

Cannon-Bard theory

the theory that emotional experience and emotional expression are parallel processes that have no direct causal relation

cell-mediated immunity

the immune reaction by which T cells destroy invading microorganisms

central nucleus of the amygdala

a nucleus of the amygdala that is thought to control defensive behavior

contextual fear condiitoning

the process by which benign contexts come to elicit fear through their association with fear inducing stimuli

control-question technique

a technique used in biofeedback for controlling physiological responses through feedback from questions.

corticosterone

the predominant glucocorticoid in humans