12_Female sex behavior II

Page 1: Review

• Take time to review Quiz 5 and the answers selected in the Lockdown Browser.

Page 2: Female Sex Behavior II

• Topic: Additional concepts and neural correlates associated with female sex behavior.

• Reference: Dr. Kinsey's work and reactions to his report are notable, highlighting societal perspectives.

Page 3: Cyclic Reproduction in Female Vertebrates

• Thickness: Focus on cyclic reproduction in female vertebrates; relevant stages in the ovary.

• Events in the Ovary:

  • Several follicles develop, leading to a single mature follicle.

  • Formation of the corpus luteum.

• Menstrual Cycle Stages:

  • Follicular phase, Luteal phase, and corresponding changes in the endometrium.

  • Key events are timed in a typical 28-day cycle.

Page 4: Reproductive Cycle Characteristics

• Copulation:

  • Limited vs. continuous mating behavior.

• Ovulation Types:

  • Spontaneous vs. induced ovulation.

• Corpus Luteum:

  • Can result in spontaneous vs. induced pseudopregnancy.

Page 5: Spontaneous Ovulation

• Defined as the release of an ovum from a maturing follicle determined by endogenous stimuli (e.g., hormones).

Page 6: Induced or Reflexive Ovulation

• Occurs due to exogenous stimuli (e.g., mating stimulation).

• Found primarily in solitary females, ovulation occurs only in the presence of a male.

Page 7: Spontaneous Pseudopregnancy

• Formation of a functional corpus luteum follows ovulation even if no pregnancy occurs.

• Characterized by long reproductive cycles (greater than 2 weeks).

Page 8: Induced Pseudopregnancy

• Corpus luteum formation requires additional stimulation beyond ovulation.

• Characterized by short reproductive cycles (less than 1 week).

Page 9: Techniques of Vaginal Lavage

• Used to assess cyclic changes in vaginal cells.

  • Phases Detected:

    • Proestrus: nucleated cells

    • Estrus: cornified cells

    • Metestrus: mixed cells

    • Diestrus: leukocytes

Page 10: Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis

• Feedback Mechanisms:

  • Positive and negative feedback involved in hormonal regulation.

• Hormones Involved:

  • Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulating the release of estrogens and progestins from the ovary.

  • Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are key.

Page 11: Hypothalamus and LH Surge

• Role of Kisspeptin:

  • Acts on GPR54, affects LH surges; notable sex differences in neuron clusters (more in females).

Page 12: Neural Basis of Lordosis

• Overview of sensory and motor pathways leading to lordosis:

  • Key brain regions: Midbrain reticular formation, MPOA, VMN,

  • Shows integration of sensory inputs for reproductive behavior.

Page 13: Simplified Diagram of Neural Mediation

• Estradiol and pathways involved in triggering lordosis response.

  • Identifies various brain regions and sensory pathways crucial for this behavior.

Page 14: Ventromedial Nucleus

• Discusses the significance of estrogen and progesterone in mediating sexual behavior.

• Importance of timing (estrogen followed by progesterone) for inducing sexual behavior in female vertebrates.

Page 15: Mechanisms of Estradiol Priming

• Involves gene transcription that increases progesterone receptors in VMN.

• Alters synaptic patterns and firing rates, pivotal for sexual behavior.

Page 16: Neural Mediation of Lordosis

• Estrogen binds and activates gene expression critical for reproductive behavior.

• Key signaling factors discussed related to female reproductive behaviors include nitric oxide synthase, opioid receptors, and prostaglandin pathways.

Page 17: Estradiol and Behavior

• Rats and hamsters show estrous behaviors only after exposure to estradiol, highlighting need for hormonal priming for behavioral activation.

Page 18: Driving Female Sexual Behavior

• Two crucial injections leading to sexual motivation tested through mating behaviors.

  • Estradiol initiates heat, progesterone supports gestation functions.

Page 19: Rodent Cycle and the Hippocampus

• Discusses changes in synaptic structures and dendritic spine density across different reproductive phases.

Page 20: Neural Basis of Sexual Motivation

• Investigation into mechanisms that underlie sexual motivation across genders.

Page 21: Human Sexual Response Cycle

• Four stages outlined: Excitement, Plateau, Orgasm, Resolution.

Page 22: Human Cycle and Sexual Activity

• Graphical representation correlating sexual desire with days from LH surge, illustrating the pattern of desire fluctuations.

Page 23: Attractiveness and Menstrual Cycle

• Insights on visual attractiveness fluctuations across menstrual phases; prompts to assess differences in presented images.

Page 24: Neural Basis for Sexual Motivation

• Amygdala and hypothalamus activation levels differ between men and women when exposed to sexual stimuli, emphasizing sex-based neural mechanisms.

Page 25: Hormonal Contraception and Libido

• Impact of hormonal contraception on ovulation and libido; introduces insights on sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG).

Page 26: Homework

• Read assigned paper on female sexual behavior and review for upcoming quiz covering this content.

  • Chapters on male and female sexual behavior noted for study focus.

Page 27: Coming Up

• Anticipation of future topics and content to be covered.