sex and hormones

Question 1

Where is the pituitary gland located?

Answer 1

Beneath the hypothalamus

Question 2

What are releasing hormones and where are they from?

Answer 2

From hypothalamus; control pituitary release of tropic hormones

Question 3

What are tropic hormones and where are they from?

Answer 3

From pituitary; affect other endocrine glands

Question 4

What kind of feedback loop is the thyroid feedback loop?

Answer 4

Negative feedback

Question 5

What kind of feedback loop is the estrogen feedback loop?

Answer 5

Positive feedback

Question 6

What are the hormones of the posterior pituitary and their functions?

Answer 6

Vasopressin (raises BP, inhibits urine); Oxytocin (maternal behavior, bonding)

Question 7

What are the hormones of the anterior pituitary?

Answer 7

TSH, MSH, FSH, GH, LH, PRL, ACTH

Question 8

What hormone is required in the diet for thyroid hormone production?

Answer 8

Iodine

Question 9

What causes cretinism?

Answer 9

Early thyroid deficiency

Question 10

Can thyroid hormone reverse cretinism?

Answer 10

No; brain development already affected

Question 11

What is a goiter and its cause?

Answer 11

Swollen thyroid gland from iodine deficiency

Question 12

Endocrine pathology can mimic what kind of disorders?

Answer 12

Psychiatric disorders

Question 13

What is Cushing’s disease?

Answer 13

Excess cortisol from adrenal glands; causes fatigue, depression, psychosis

Question 14

What percent of people in North Texas use illegal steroids?

Answer 14

25%

Question 15

Does genetics influence sexual orientation?

Answer 15

Yes

Question 16

What is the sexual dimorphic nucleus (INAH3)?

Answer 16

Smaller in females and gay men; protected by testosterone from apoptosis

Question 17

Which brain areas are larger in homosexual men?

Answer 17

Anterior commissure and SCN

Question 18

How many levels of sex determination are there?

Answer 18

7 levels

Question 19

Why do people have sex?

Answer 19

Reproduction, DNA shuffling, pleasure

Question 20

What are the four phases of the sexual response curve?

Answer 20

Excitement, Plateau, Orgasm, Resolution

Question 21

How is sex like hunger and thirst?

Answer 21

Involves arousal, satiation, hormonal and brain control

Question 22

Which brain areas are active during male orgasm?

Answer 22

Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA)

Question 23

Which brain areas are active/inhibited during female orgasm?

Answer 23

Activated: cerebellar nuclei; Inhibited: orbitofrontal cortex

Question 24

What is the function of the medial amygdala?

Answer 24

Involved in sex, smell, aggression, emotion (both sexes)

Question 25

What is the function of the ventromedial hypothalamus in females?

Answer 25

Receptivity to male advances

Question 26

What happens to estrogen before ovulation?

Answer 26

Rises and promotes sexual behavior

Question 27

What is estrus? Do humans have it?

Answer 27

Sexual receptivity; humans don’t have true estrus

Question 28

What neurotransmitters are involved in sex and their effects?

Answer 28

Dopamine: increases activity; Serotonin: decreases activity

Question 29

What is the effect of alcohol on sex (Macbeth)?

Answer 29

Provokes desire but reduces performance

Question 30

What gene determines sex?

Answer 30

SRY gene

Question 31

What is testosterone?

Answer 31

Main organizing hormone of human brain

Question 32

What are organizing effects?

Answer 32

Prenatal, lifelong (e.g., genitals, brain structure)

Question 33

What are activating effects?

Answer 33

Reversible, anytime (e.g., muscle mass)

Question 34

How do male and female brains differ?

Answer 34

Women: better multitasking, verbal; Men: better spatial, single-task

Question 35

How does estrogen affect cognition?

Answer 35

Impairs spatial, enhances verbal/manual skills

Question 36

What is the effect of testosterone in the 2nd trimester?

Answer 36

Increases right hemisphere growth

Question 37

Why can less testosterone mean more sex?

Answer 37

Less impulse control

Question 38

What are the cognitive effects in androgenized girls?

Answer 38

Enhanced spatial ability

Question 39

What are the cognitive effects in males with low early testosterone?

Answer 39

Impaired spatial ability

Question 40

What are the cognitive effects in FTM on testosterone?

Answer 40

Improved spatial, reduced verbal fluency

Question 41

How do girls' brains process emotions?

Answer 41

More complex, cortex-driven, connected with language

Question 42

How do boys' brains process emotions?

Answer 42

Simpler, limbic-driven, less verbal

Question 43

What is girls' conversation style and topics?

Answer 43

Face-to-face, relationships

Question 44

What is boys' conversation style and topics?

Answer 44

Shoulder-to-shoulder, objects/activities

Question 45

What is girls' touching, teasing, discipline style?

Answer 45

Nurturing, teasing = threat, affiliative discipline

Question 46

What is boys' touching, teasing, discipline style?

Answer 46

Rough, teasing = connection, rules/consequences

Question 47

What gene drives testis development?

Answer 47

SRY

Question 48

What is the main difference in male vs female sexual response curves?

Answer 48

Males have a refractory phase

Question 49

How many levels of sex determination are there?

Answer 49

Seven

Question 50

What effect does testosterone in the second trimester have on the brain?

Answer 50

Affects the right hemisphere

Question 51

Which brain regions have more gray matter in women?

Answer 51

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, Superior temporal gyrus

Question 52

Which brain region is smaller in homosexual men?

Answer 52

INAH3 (Sexual Dimorphic Nucleus)

Question 53

What brain region is primarily active during orgasm?

Answer 53

VTA (dopamine pathway)