Sex Menstrual cycle

Jochemsen R, van der Graaff M, Boeijinga JK, Breimer DD. Influence of sex, menstrual cycle and oral contraception on the disposition of nitrazepam. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1982 13(3) 319-24. 

Yovel G, Shakhar K, Ben-Eliyahu S The effects of sex, menstrual cycle, and oral contraceptives on the... 

Testosterone promotes muscle growth deepening of the voice the growth of body hair and other male secondary sex characteristics Testosterone is formed from cholesterol and IS the biosynthetic precursor of estradiol the principal female sex hormone or estrogen Estradiol is a key substance m the regulation of the menstrual cycle and the reproductive process It is the hormone most responsible for the development of female secondary sex characteristics... 

Epperson, C.N.O.M.S., Czarkowski, K.A., Gueorguieva, R., Jatlow, R, Sanacora, G., Rothman, D.L., Krystal, J.H., Mason, G.F. Sex, GABA, and nicotine the impact of smoking on cortical GABA levels across the menstrual cycle as measured with proton magnetic resonance. Biol. Psychiatry. 57 44, 2005. 

Kuukasjarvi, S., Eriksson, C.J.P., Koskela, E., Mappes, T., Nissinen, K. and Rantala, MJ. (2004) Attractiveness of women s body odors over the course of the menstrual cycle The role of oral contraceptives and receiver sex. Behav. Ecol. 15, 579-584. 

Concentrations of plasma testosterone and other androgens vary throughout the day in both sexes whether such variation is simply random or fits a repeatable diurnal pattern is a matter of debate. Compared with the diurnal variation seen with cortisol, plasma testosterone concentrations are reasonably constant. Plasma androgen concentrations also vary greatly in women through the menstrual cycle, with peak levels seen in the luteal phase. 

Even in people with the same diagnosis and the same inclusion and exclusion criteria, there are different treatment responses based on individual variability. The most important individual variables are probably sex and age. It is unfortunate that even though affective disorders and some anxiety disorders are more prevalent in women than in men, until recently results of clinical trials did not take into consideration sex differences and variables unique to women [e.g., reproductive status and menstrual cycle]. As is demonstrated by Yonkers et al. [see Chapter 5, in this volume], there are substantial sex differences in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of most antidepressants and anxiolytics, which influence treatment response. Attention to these variables will indeed improve the efficacy of treatment. 

Hypersecretion from the adrenal cortex leads to condition known as Cushing s syndrome which leads to feminism in males, which is the tendency to develop female sex characters and in females virilism develops, which is the tendency to develop male sex characters such as excess growth of hair on chest and pubic region, increase and darkening of facial hair, atrophy of mammary glands (breasts) and cessation of menstrual cycle (amenorrhoea). 

Hormonal control of mating behaviour is well documented in animals. In rats, estrogen and, to a lesser extent, progesterone control lordosis behaviour via the central nervous system (CNS). In female non-human primates, attractiveness and proceptivity change during the menstrual cycle or as a result of sex steroid administration. The effects of hormones on receptivity are unclear. It is assumed that steroid hormones influence behaviour in humans as they do in animals however, it is difficult to differentiate the effects of social and other environmental factors from the effects of sex steroids on mating behaviour in humans. 

Microminiature drug delivery device. This is the heart of the implanted medication systems. The drug delivery device often consists of a diaphragm-operated infusion pump that supplies drug at a constant predetermined rate to the body. The pump is connected to the drug reservoir, which, in some cases, may be recharged when exhausted. Today, the available electronic components are so miniature that they can be implanted comfortably even in newborn babies. The pump can be programmed for a constant or variable basal infusion of medication with a repetitive period of from 1 hour to 60 days. By far the most frequently used basal period is 24 hours. A period of 28 days is available, particularly for the infusion of sex hormones to mimic the female menstrual cycle. 

---