Sexual behavior

Olfactory cues have been studied in both five-lined skinks (Eumeces fasciatus) and ground skinks Scincella lateralis) by means of an olfactometer (Duvall et al. 1980). Airborne chemical cues from conspecific males and females showed that these animals respond to the odors with tongue-flicks and snout-dips (Duvall et al. 1980). Chemical cues from heterospecific animals were ignored. 

In aquatic turtles, courtship behavior seems to rely on pheromones produced and expressed from the cloaca. There are no experimental studies specifically 

Clearly, experimental evidence is needed to document and explore the role of chemical cues in mediating agonistic behaviors in turtles. 

---

Reproductive Toxicity—The occurrence of adverse effects on the reproductive system that may result from exposure to a chemical. The toxicity may be directed to the reproductive organs and/or the related endocrine system. The manifestation of such toxicity may be noted as alterations in sexual behavior, fertility, pregnancy outcomes, or modifications in other functions that are dependent on the integrity of this system. 

Second, sexual behavior might change if the good message of a treatment of HIV/AIDS spreads. Already today we have an increase of incidence in some countries, such as Germany. This might be partly due to the long-term consequence of a reduced horror. ... 

Nelson JL, Zenick H. 1986. The effect of trichloroethylene on male sexual behavior Possible opioid role. Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol 8 441-445. 

Rats that have lost dopamine and/or serotonin terminals following treatment with amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, / -chloroamphetamine, or fenfluramine show little in the way of overt ehanges in appearanee or behavior. Dr. Rieaurte (this volume) emphasized the need for more studies in primates, since MPTP-treated miee also show little in the way of observable functional changes, whereas MPTP-treated monkeys show marked neurologie deficits. It may be neeessary to do more detailed analysis of speeifie behaviors and other funetional outputs that are influeneed by dopamine and/or serotonin neurons, to detect functional deficits induced by some neurotoxic drugs. For instance, specific behaviors sueh as appetite-eontrolled behavior (Leibowitz and Shor-Posner 1986), murieidal behavior (Katz 1980), and sexual behavior (Tucker and File 1983) elieited by drugs... 

Beauchamp G.K., Martin I., Wysocki C.J. and Wellington J.L. (1982). Chemoinvestigatory and sexual behavior of male guinea pigs following vomeronasal organ removal. Physiol Behav 29, 329-336. 

Clancy A.N., Coquelin A., Macrides F., Gorski R. and Noble E. (1984). Sexual behavior and aggression in male mice involvement of the vomeronasal system. J Neurosci 4, 2222—2229. 

Cutler W.B. (1987). Female essence pheromones increases sexual behavior in young women. Neuroendocrinol Lett 9, 199. 

Dudley C.A. and Moss R.L. (1996). Signal processing in the vomeronasal system, modulation of sexual behavior in the female rat. Crit Revs Neurobiol 10, 265-290. 

Fletcher T. (1978). The induction of male sexual behavior in Red Deer by the administration of testosterone to hinds, and Estradiol-17(3 to stags. Horm Behav 11, 74-88. 

Kelche C. and Aron C. (1984). Olfactory cues and accessory olfactory bulb lesion effect on sexual behavior in the cyclic female rat. Physiol Behav 33, 45-48. 

Klemm W.R., Hawkins G. and de Los Santos E. (1987). Identification of compounds in bovine cervico-vaginal mucous extracts that evoke male sexual behavior. Chem Senses 12, 77-87. 

Ladewig J., Price E.O. and Hart B.L. (1980). Flehmen in male goats role in sexual behavior. Behav Neural Biol 30, 312-322. 

Lehman M.N. and Winans S.S. (1982). Vomeronasal and olfactory pathways to the amygdala controlling male hamster sexual behavior — autoradiographic and behavioral analyses. Brain Res 240, 27-41. 

Saito T.R. and Moltz H. (1986). Sexual behavior in the female rat following removal of the vomeronasal organ. Physiol Behav 38, 81-87. 

Mood lability, inappropriate aggressive or sexual behavior, giddiness or verbally loud, impaired judgment possibly progressing to somnolence and coma as the blood level increases... 

Sexual behavior of the female must be determined to understand the risk for STDs. Women who are not in a monogamous relationship must consider their risk of STDs as a factor in their contraceptive decision. Some barrier methods protect against STDs, but agents such as hormonal contraceptives are not capable of preventing STDs if used alone. 

Though previous literature suggests several prevention strategies, a combination of efforts may be more advisable. Alteration in sexual behavior should undoubtedly be the first counseling concern, as promiscuous sexual activity has been shown to augment the probability of infection. 

Thornhill, R. and Thornhill, N.W. (1992), The evolutionary psychology of mens coercive sexuality , Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 15, 363-421. 

These cues are important in rearing, territorial, courtship and, in particular, sexual behaviors. The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is separate from the main epithelium in mammals, comprising a thin epithelial tissue within a bony capsule in the lateral wall of the nasal cavity. It is probably vestigial in humans. The VNO epithelium contains at least two populations of microvillar chemosensory neurons one is in the more apical aspects of the epithelium, while the other lies in the more basal region. These two populations of vomeronasal neurons (VNs) are defined by the differential expression of several genes. For example, the apical VNs express the G-protein subunit Ga, while the basal neurons express Ga0. Apical and basal VNs also... 

Progesterone produces direct membrane effects [16]. These include actions that promote maturation of spermatozoa as well as oocytes and facilitation of the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) (Fig. 52-7). Membrane actions of progesterone also activate oxytocin receptors in the hypothalamus in a way that enables oxytocin to turn on sexual behavior in the estrogen-primed female rat [3],... 

FIGURE 52-9 Summary of estrogen effects on the ventromedial nuclei related to its activation of female sexual behavior in the rat. DG, dentate gyrus. (From [41], with permission.)... 

McEwen, B. S., Jones, K. and Pfaff, D. Hormonal control of sexual behavior in the female rat molecular, cellular and neurochemical studies. Biol. Reprod. 36 37 15,1987. 

Spitzer, R. L. (1973). A proposal about homosexuality and the APA nomenclature Homosexuality as an irregular form of sexual behavior and sexual orientation disturbance as a psychiatric disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 1214— 1216. 

---