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Mengelkoch S, Cunningham K, Gassen J, Targonskaya A, Zhaunova L, Salimgaraev R, Hill SE. Longitudinal associations between women's cycle characteristics and sexual motivation using Flo cycle tracking data. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10513. [PMID: 38714675 PMCID: PMC11076276 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60599-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In the current research, we used data from a sample of 16,327 menstrual cycle tracking app users to examine the association between menstrual cycle characteristics and sexual motivation tracked over 10 months of app use. Guided by past work that finds links between menstrual cycle characteristics related to conception risk and sexual motivation, we found that (a) between-women, shorter (r = - 0.04, p = 0.007), more regular cycles predicted small increases in sexual motivation (r = - 0.04, p = 0.001); (b) within-women, shorter cycles predicted greater sexual motivation that month (r = - 0.04, p < 0.001) and (c) the next month (βs: - 0.10 to - 0.06, ps < 0.001), but (d) changes in sexual motivation did not reliably precede changes in cycle length (βs: - 0.01 to 0.02, ps > 0.15). Within-woman analyses also revealed that (e) shorter cycles were followed by more frequent reports of fatigue (β = - 0.06, p < 0.001), insomnia (β = - 0.03, p < 0.001), and food cravings (β = - 0.04, p < 0.001). Together, results suggest that menstrual cycles characteristics and sexual motivation may covary together in ways that reflect changing investments in reproduction. Small effect sizes and lack of experimental control warrant cautious interpretations of results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Summer Mengelkoch
- Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-7076, USA.
| | - Katja Cunningham
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, 76129, USA
| | - Jeffrey Gassen
- Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-7076, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sarah E Hill
- Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, 76129, USA
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2
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Schleifenbaum L, Stern J, Driebe JC, Wieczorek LL, Gerlach TM, Arslan RC, Penke L. Ovulatory cycle shifts in human motivational prioritisation of sex and food. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105542. [PMID: 38636206 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Previous research on the endogenous effects of ovarian hormones on motivational states in women has focused on sexual motivation. The Motivational Priority Shifts Hypothesis has a broader scope. It predicts a shift from somatic to reproductive motivation when fertile. In a highly powered preregistered online diary study across 40 days, we tested whether 390 women report such an ovulatory shift in sexual and eating motivation and behaviour. We compared 209 naturally cycling women to 181 women taking hormonal contraceptives (HC) to rule out non-ovulatory changes across the cycle as confounders. We found robust ovulatory decreases in food intake and increases in general sexual desire, in-pair sexual desire and initiation of dyadic sexual behaviour. Extra-pair sexual desire increased mid-cycle, but the effect did not differ significantly in HC women, questioning an ovulatory effect. Descriptively, solitary sexual desire and behaviour, dyadic sexual behaviour, appetite, and satiety showed expected mid-cycle changes that were diminished in HC women, but these failed to reach our strict preregistered significance level. Our results provide insight into current theoretical debates about ovulatory cycle shifts while calling for future research to determine motivational mechanisms behind ovulatory changes in food intake and considering romantic partners' motivational states to explain the occurrence of dyadic sexual behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Schleifenbaum
- Georg August University Goettingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Tanja M Gerlach
- Georg August University Goettingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Germany; Queen's University Belfast, UK
| | | | - Lars Penke
- Georg August University Goettingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Germany.
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3
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Luberti FR, Carré JM. Testosterone's role in modulating human behaviors relevant to mating and parenting. Front Neuroendocrinol 2024; 72:101112. [PMID: 37972861 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) is linked to human mating and parenting. Here, we comprehensively reviewed evidence on whether, in men and women, (1) basal T levels are related to mating and parenting behaviors, (2) T responds to reproduction-relevant cues, (3) acute changes in T map onto subsequent mating and parenting behaviors, and (4) single-dose exogenous T administration causally affects mating and parenting behaviors. We examined whether the available evidence supports trade-off interpretations of T's adaptive function whereby high T levels correspond to greater mating/reproductive effort and competition and low T levels to greater parenting effort and nurturance. We found mixed support for trade-off hypotheses, suggesting that T's function in modulating human mating and parenting might be more nuanced and highly dependent on context and individual trait differences. Results were largely similar for men and women, although studies with women were scarcer than those with men for most behaviors we reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca R Luberti
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7 Canada.
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7 Canada.
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4
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Blumenstock SM, Barber JS. Hormonal Contraception Use and Sexual Frequency across Young Women's Intimate Relationships. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2023; 60:1283-1296. [PMID: 35435786 PMCID: PMC9576816 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2022.2059649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
We examined whether hormonal contraception (HC) use predicts sexual frequency throughout and across young women's intimate relationships. From 2008-2012, the Relationships Dynamics and Social Life Study collected weekly surveys over 2.5 years, and included 893 women (aged 18-19 at baseline) who reported 2,547 intimate relationships across 32,736 weeks. Three-level logistic multilevel models assessed the weekly probability of sexual intercourse based on 1) weekly HC use (vs. nonuse) and 2) duration of HC use, both accounting for several relational and individual characteristics, including relationship duration. Women had more frequent sexual intercourse when they were using HC than when they were not (predicted probabilities .65 vs .41). The weekly probability of sexual intercourse increased sharply within the first month of HC initiation (by about 27 percentage points), remained high for several months, then began to slowly decline (yet remained above that of nonuse). When separated by method type, similar trajectories were found for the pill, ring, and IUD/implant; following the initial increase, steeper declines in intercourse frequency were found for the contraceptive injectable, eventually dropping below pre-initiation levels. Findings signify the immediate influence of reduced pregnancy fears in facilitating sexual intercourse among young women, which may decline as HC use continues long-term.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer S. Barber
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Department of Sociology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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5
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Marcinkowska UM, Shirazi T, Mijas M, Roney JR. Hormonal Underpinnings of the Variation in Sexual Desire, Arousal and Activity Throughout the Menstrual Cycle - A Multifaceted Approach. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2023; 60:1297-1303. [PMID: 36018001 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2022.2110558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Although prior evidence supports women's mating behaviors and preferences being related to ovarian hormonal levels, there is conflicting evidence about exactly which hormones predict sexual function best, which specific psychosexual facets are affected and how between-individual and within-individual differences relate to this question. In this study levels of estradiol and progesterone were measured (once daily for 15 days for each participant) for 97 women, who attended two testing sessions, in times of the cycle varying in conception probability (based on the luteinizing hormone (LH) test result). Women completed surveys on their sexual desire, arousal, sexual activity frequency and initiation. There was a significant difference between peri-ovulatory and luteal values for all sexual function variables. Between-subject progesterone negatively predicted sexual activity frequency only. Within-subject estradiol positively and progesterone negatively predicted sexual desire. The findings provide support for hormonal underpinnings of sexual desire and sexual activity frequency fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. The findings did not yield support for hormonal influences on sexual arousal and initiation of sexual encounters. The main findings are consistent with the excitatory and inhibitory effects of estradiol and progesterone, respectively, on measures of women's sexual motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula M Marcinkowska
- Department of Public Health, Jagiellonian University Medical College
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University
| | - Talia Shirazi
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University
| | - Magdalena Mijas
- Department of Public Health, Jagiellonian University Medical College
| | - James R Roney
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California
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6
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Schön V, Hengartner MP, Tronci E, Mancini T, Ille F, Röblitz S, Krüge T, Leeners B. Sexual attraction to visual sexual stimuli in association with steroid hormones across menstrual cycles and fertility treatment. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 151:106060. [PMID: 36863130 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Steroid hormones (i.e., estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone) are considered to play a crucial role in the regulation of women's sexual desire and sexual attraction to sexual stimuli throughout the menstrual cycle. However, the literature is inconsistent, and methodologically sound studies on the relationship between steroid hormones and women's sexual attraction are rare. METHODS This prospective longitudinal multisite study examined estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone serum levels in association with sexual attraction to visual sexual stimuli in naturally cycling women and in women undergoing fertility treatment (in vitro fertilization, IVF). Across ovarian stimulation of fertility treatment, estradiol reaches supraphysiological levels, while other ovarian hormones remain nearly stable. Ovarian stimulation hence offers a unique quasi-experimental model to study concentration-dependent effects of estradiol. Hormonal parameters and sexual attraction to visual sexual stimuli assessed with computerized visual analogue scales were collected at four time points per cycle, i.e., during the menstrual, preovulatory, mid-luteal, and premenstrual phases, across two consecutive menstrual cycles (n = 88 and n = 68 for the first and second cycle, respectively). Women undergoing fertility treatment (n = 44) were assessed twice, at the beginning and at the end of ovarian stimulation. Sexually explicit photographs served as visual sexual stimuli. RESULTS In naturally cycling women, sexual attraction to visual sexual stimuli did not vary consistently across two consecutive menstrual cycles. While in the first menstrual cycle sexual attraction to male bodies, couples kissing, and at intercourse varied significantly with a peak in the preovulatory phase, (all p ≤ 0.001), there was no significant variability across the second cycle. Univariable and multivariable models evaluating repeated cross-sectional relationships and intraindividual change scores revealed no consistent associations between estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone and sexual attraction to visual sexual stimuli throughout both menstrual cycles. Also, no significant association with any hormone was found when the data from both menstrual cycles were combined. In women undergoing ovarian stimulation of IVF, sexual attraction to visual sexual stimuli did not vary over time and was not associated with estradiol levels despite intraindividual changes in estradiol levels from 122.0 to 11,746.0 pmol/l with a mean (SD) of 3553.9 (2472.4) pmol/l. CONCLUSIONS These results imply that neither physiological levels of estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone in naturally cycling women nor supraphysiological levels of estradiol due to ovarian stimulation exert any relevant effect on women's sexual attraction to visual sexual stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Schön
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Michael P Hengartner
- Department of Applied Psychology, Zurich University for Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Enrico Tronci
- Department of Computer Science, University of Roma "La Sapienza", Roma, Italy.
| | - Toni Mancini
- Department of Computer Science, University of Roma "La Sapienza", Roma, Italy.
| | - Fabian Ille
- Center of Competence in Aerospace Biomedical Science and Technology, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Hergiswil, Switzerland.
| | - Susanna Röblitz
- Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Tillmann Krüge
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Brigitte Leeners
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
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Lu HJ. Sexual Desire of Women With Fast and Slow Life History Throughout the Ovulatory Cycle. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 21:14747049221148695. [PMID: 36604835 PMCID: PMC10355290 DOI: 10.1177/14747049221148695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Findings on female sexual motivation across the ovulatory cycle are mixed. Some studies have reported increased female sexual desire on fertile days or midway through the ovulatory cycle, whereas others have reported increased sexual desire on nonfertile days. We postulated and tested the hypothesis that the pattern of the cyclical change of female sexual desire is associated with women's life history. Female participants completed life-history measures and rated their levels of sexual desire on the survey day and reported the first day of their current and subsequent cycle, respectively (Study 1), or recorded their sexual desire throughout an entire cycle by submitting daily reports (Study 2). Results indicate that women with a fast life history experienced peak sexual desire midcycle, whereas women with a slow life history experienced two peaks of sexual desire midcycle and around their menses. These findings suggest that, consistent with the underlying life history, cyclically differential peaking of sexual desire may serve different reproductive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Jing Lu
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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8
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Hill SE, Mengelkoch S. Moving beyond the mean: Promising research pathways to support a precision medicine approach to hormonal contraception. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 68:101042. [PMID: 36332783 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Women's psychological and behavioral responses to hormonal contraceptive (HC) treatment can be highly variable. One of the great challenges to researchers seeking to improve the experiences of women who use HCs is to identify the sources of this variability to minimize unpleasant psychobehavioral side-effects. In the following, we provide recommendations for programs of research aimed at identifying sources of heterogeneity in women's experiences with HC. First, we review research demonstrating person- and prescription- based heterogeneity in women's psychobehavioral responses to HCs. Next, we identify several promising person- and prescription- based sources of this heterogeneity that warrant future research. We close with a discussion of research approaches that are particularly well-suited to address the research questions raised in article. Together, this review provides researchers with several promising research pathways to help support the development of a precision medicine approach to HC treatment.
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9
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Carrillo Vázquez M, Johnson-Ferguson L, Zimmermann J, Baumgartner MR, Binz TM, Beuschlein F, Ribeaud D, Shanahan L, Quednow BB. Associations of different hormonal contraceptive methods with hair concentrations of cortisol, cortisone, and testosterone in young women. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 12:100161. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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10
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Dinh T, Emery Thompson M, Gangestad SW. Ovarian hormones in relation to naturally cycling women's conception risk: Empirical evidence and implications for behavioral endocrinology. Horm Behav 2022; 146:105276. [PMID: 36356458 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A substantial body of literature has examined how women's psychology and behavior vary as a function of conception risk across the ovarian cycle. These effects are widely believed to be outcomes of hormonal regulation, in particular effects of estrogens (E) and progesterone (P). Increasingly, researchers have sought to test predictions about how psychological processes or behavior vary as a function of conception risk by examining associations with estrogen (e.g., estradiol) and progesterone levels. Yet issues regarding how best to assess these associations arise. Should hormone levels be log-transformed? Do hormone ratios best capture their joint effects? How important are hormone interactions? How should outliers be treated? Across two large datasets, we examined hormonal predictors of conception risk, estimated from day of a luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. Log-transformed E and P levels predicted conception risk better than raw E and P levels did. The raw E/P ratio was a relatively poor predictor, whereas the log-transformed ratio (ln[E/P]) was a relatively good predictor. E × P interactions were detected but weak. Outliers were frequent, especially in distributions of raw hormone levels. Hormone measures predicted two psychological outcomes in these datasets-sexual desire and preferences for strength and muscularity-in parallel to how strongly they predicted conception risk. These results give rise to several recommendations regarding treatment of hormone measures and their use in analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tran Dinh
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87111, United States of America.
| | - Melissa Emery Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87111, United States of America.
| | - Steven W Gangestad
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87111, United States of America.
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11
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Sartin-Tarm A, Lorenz T. Sexual Trauma Moderates Hormonal Mediators of Women’s Sexual Function. CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11930-022-00337-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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12
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Dinh T, Emery Thompson M, Gangestad SW. Hormonal influences on women's extra-pair sexual interests: The moderating impact of partner attractiveness. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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13
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Hormonal contraceptives as disruptors of competitive behavior: Theoretical framing and review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:101015. [PMID: 35835214 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that hormonal contraceptives (HCs) impact psychological outcomes through alterations in neurophysiology. In this review, we first introduce a theoretical framework for HCs as disruptors of steroid hormone modulation of socially competitive attitudes and behaviors. Then, we comprehensively examine prior research comparing HC users and non-users in outcomes related to competition for reproductive, social, and financial resources. Synthesis of 46 studies (n = 16,290) led to several key conclusions: HC users do not show the same menstrual cycle-related fluctuations in self-perceived attractiveness and some intrasexual competition seen in naturally-cycling women and, further, may show relatively reduced status- or achievement-oriented competitive motivation. However, there a lack of consistent or compelling evidence that HC users and non-users differ in competitive behavior or attitudes for mates or financial resources. These conclusions are tentative given the notable methodological limitations of the studies reviewed. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
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14
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Gangestad SW, Dinh T. Women's Estrus and Extended Sexuality: Reflections on Empirical Patterns and Fundamental Theoretical Issues. Front Psychol 2022; 13:900737. [PMID: 35795438 PMCID: PMC9251465 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.900737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
How do women's sexual interests change across their ovulatory cycles? This question is one of the most enduring within the human evolutionary behavioral sciences. Yet definitive, agreed-upon answers remain elusive. One empirical pattern appears to be robust: Women experience greater levels of sexual desire and interest when conceptive during their cycles. But this pattern is not straightforward or self-explanatory. We lay out multiple possible, broad explanations for it. Based on selectionist reasoning, we argue that the conditions that give rise to sexual interests during conceptive and non-conceptive phases are likely to differ. Because conceptive and non-conceptive sex have distinct functions, the sexual interests during conceptive and non-conceptive phases are likely to have different strategic ends. We discuss provisional evidence consistent with this perspective. But the exact nature of women's dual sexuality, if it exists, remains unclear. Additional empirical research is needed. But perhaps more crucially, this topic demands additional theory that fruitfully guides and interprets future empirical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W. Gangestad
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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15
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Associations Between Sexual Desire and Within-Individual Testosterone and Cortisol in Men and Women. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-022-00184-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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16
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Shirazi TN, Self H, Rosenfield KA, Dawood K, Welling LLM, Cárdenas R, Bailey JM, Balasubramanian R, Delaney A, Breedlove SM, Puts DA. Low Perinatal Androgens Predict Recalled Childhood Gender Nonconformity in Men. Psychol Sci 2022; 33:343-353. [PMID: 35191784 PMCID: PMC8985219 DOI: 10.1177/09567976211036075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The contributions of gonadal hormones to the development of human behavioral sex differences are subjects of intense scientific and social interest. Isolated gonadotropin-releasing-hormone deficiency (IGD) is a rare endocrine disorder that can reveal a possible role of early gonadal hormones. IGD is characterized by low or absent gonadal hormone production after the first trimester of gestation, but external genitalia and hence gender of rearing are concordant with chromosomal and gonadal sex. We investigated recalled childhood gender nonconformity in men (n = 65) and women (n = 32) with IGD and typically developing men (n = 463) and women (n = 1,207). Men with IGD showed elevated childhood gender nonconformity, particularly if they also reported undescended testes at birth, a marker of low perinatal androgens. Women with IGD did not differ from typically developing women. These results indicate that early androgen exposure after the first trimester contributes to male-typical gender-role behaviors in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heather Self
- Department of Anthropology, The
Pennsylvania State University
| | | | - Khytam Dawood
- Department of Psychology, The
Pennsylvania State University
| | | | | | | | | | - Angela Delaney
- Reproductive Physiology and
Pathophysiology Group, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,
Maryland
| | | | - David A. Puts
- Department of Anthropology, The
Pennsylvania State University,David A. Puts, The Pennsylvania
State University, Department of Anthropology
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17
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Lee DS, Knittel T, Deschner T, Heistermann M, Higham JP. Testing the role of testosterone versus estrogens in mediating reproductive transitions in female rhesus macaques. Horm Behav 2022; 139:105123. [PMID: 35149292 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In male vertebrates, testosterone is generally known to coordinate reproductive trade-offs, in part by promoting the transition to the next reproduction at the expense of current parental care. The role of testosterone in reproductive transitions has been little tested in female vertebrates, especially in mammals. The present study sought to fill this gap, by first undertaking an experimental study, in which we identified DHT, androstenediol, and in particular etiocholanolone, as fecal androgen metabolites which reflect serum testosterone concentration in female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Using concentrations of fecal etiocholanolone as proxy for circulating testosterone, we then conducted a field study on 46 free-ranging rhesus macaques of Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, to test if testosterone mediates the trade-off between reproductive transition (a higher chance of reproducing in the next year) and current reproduction (providing more care to current offspring). While the evidence for testosterone was weak, the testing of fecal immunoreactive estrogen metabolites suggested a potential role of estrogen in reproductive trade-offs. We found large individual differences in fecal etiocholanolone concentrations during the early postpartum period that were unexplained even after accounting for sociodemographic factors such as age and dominance rank. Further investigation is needed to understand this variation. Our study suggests that the actions of testosterone in females may not have evolved to fulfil the same role in primate reproductive transitions as it does in males, and we encourage more studies to consider the function of testosterone in reproductive behaviors and life history transitions in females of mammalian taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Susie Lee
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York 10003, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York 10024, NY, USA.
| | - Tina Knittel
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Interim Group Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Interim Group Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York 10003, NY, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York 10024, NY, USA
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18
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Stern J, Arslan RC, Penke L. Stability and validity of steroid hormones in hair and saliva across two ovulatory cycles. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2022; 9:100114. [PMID: 35755924 PMCID: PMC9216405 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormones are often assessed via saliva samples, as they are noninvasive and easy to collect. However, hormone levels in saliva can fluctuate from moment-to-moment, are influenced by factors such as momentary emotional states and food intake, and some vary strongly across women's ovulatory cycle. In contrast, hormone levels in hair seem to be more robust against these influences and were previously suggested to be a good alternative to obtain women's baseline hormone levels. In the current study, we investigated whether hormone levels are stable across multiple assays and whether hormone levels from saliva and hair samples correlate. We collected saliva and hair samples from N = 155 naturally cycling women across two ovulatory cycles. All samples were analyzed for progesterone, testosterone and cortisol levels via mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results showed that both averaged saliva and hair hormone levels were moderately stable across cycles. Hair progesterone levels showed higher stability than the respective levels from saliva. Saliva and hair levels for progesterone and testosterone were moderately correlated, whereas cortisol levels from saliva and hair were only weakly correlated. Results suggest that the type of sample from which baseline hormone levels are assessed and the cycle phase in which saliva samples are collected may have a high impact on the obtained results. Implications for future studies are suggested. Testosterone, progesterone, and cortisol were analyzed from repeated saliva and hair samples via LC-MS/MS. Hormone levels are moderately stable in both saliva and hair samples. Progesterone levels are significantly more stable in hair samples as compared to saliva samples. Hair and saliva hormone samples correlate moderately for progesterone and testosterone, but only weakly for cortisol.
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Shirazi TN, Self H, Dawood K, Welling LLM, Cárdenas R, Rosenfield KA, Bailey JM, Balasubramanian R, Delaney A, Breedlove SM, Puts DA. Evidence that perinatal ovarian hormones promote women's sexual attraction to men. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 134:105431. [PMID: 34601343 PMCID: PMC8957625 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian estrogens may influence the development of the human brain and behavior, but there are few opportunities to test this possibility. Isolated GnRH deficiency (IGD) is a rare endocrine disorder that could provide evidence for the role of estrogens in organizing sexually differentiated phenotypes: Unlike typical development, development in individuals with IGD is characterized by low or absent gonadal hormone production after the first trimester of gestation. Because external genitalia develop in the first trimester, external appearance is nevertheless concordant with gonadal sex in people with IGD. We therefore investigated the effects of gonadal hormones on sexual orientation by comparing participants with IGD (n = 97) to controls (n = 1670). Women with IGD reported lower male-attraction compared with typically developing women. In contrast, no consistent sexuality differences between IGD and typically developing men were evident. Ovarian hormones after the first trimester appear to influence female-typical dimensions of sexual orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia N Shirazi
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, Carpenter Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Heather Self
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, Carpenter Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Khytam Dawood
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, Moore Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Lisa L M Welling
- Department of Psychology, Oakland University, 212 Pryale Hall, Rochester, MI 48309, USA
| | - Rodrigo Cárdenas
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, Moore Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kevin A Rosenfield
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, Carpenter Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - J Michael Bailey
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Swift Hall 303B, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | | | - Angela Delaney
- Reproductive Physiology and Pathophysiology Group, National Institutes of Health, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - S Marc Breedlove
- Neuroscience Program and Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 240 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, Carpenter Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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20
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Tzalazidis R, Oinonen KA. Continuum of Symptoms in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Links with Sexual Behavior and Unrestricted Sociosexuality. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2021; 58:532-544. [PMID: 32077320 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2020.1726273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exist on a continuum, are associated with hyperandrogenism, and have fertility implications. The present study investigated the relationship between PCOS symptoms and sociosexuality in young women with a continuum of symptoms ranging from none to clinical levels. Given that unrestricted sociosexuality, or one's orientation toward uncommitted sexual activity, is associated with hyperandrogenism, we hypothesized that women experiencing more symptoms of PCOS, and a greater likelihood of androgen excess, would have a more unrestricted sociosexual orientation. Women completed questionnaires about PCOS symptoms, sociosexuality, and sexuality. Unrestricted sociosexuality, unrestricted desire, romantic interest in women, and masturbation frequency were all positively associated with PCOS symptoms (including male pattern hair growth). The sexuality scores were also higher in women who scored above (versus below) the cutoff on a self-report PCOS screening questionnaire. In addition, attraction to women was higher in participants reporting a past diagnosis of PCOS. The findings are in line with theories that androgens play a role in sociosexuality and sexual orientation. Future research should examine sociocultural explanations, and whether the continuum of PCOS symptoms (e.g., hirsutism) is a useful model for studying the effects of androgen exposure, hyperandrogenism, or androgen responsiveness on women's behavior.
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22
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Ulker N, Yardimci A, Coban E, Ozcan M, Canpolat S. Chronic irisin exposure decreases sexual incentive motivation in female rats. Physiol Behav 2021; 232:113341. [PMID: 33508315 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Irisin is a novel myokine/adipokine that is released into the circulation in response to types of exercise and increases energy expenditure. Disorders in the endocrine system related to reproduction, which occur due to the chronic or excessive exercise, cause a decrease in women's sexual desire. However, the role of irisin hormone on sexual desire in women has not been elucidated. We hypothesized that chronic irisin exposure would decrease sexual incentive motivation for male partners by affecting the endocrine system in female rats. We tested this by quantifying and comparing of both sexual incentive motivation and active investigation for sexual partner, and also changes in the serum hormone levels in chronically irisin-treated female rats. As a result, chronic irisin exposure decreased the time spent near the male rat, male preference ratio, and male investigation preference ratio. Furthermore, serum testosterone and progesterone levels significantly decreased and estradiol levels increased while kisspeptin-1 levels were not changed by chronic irisin exposure in female rats. These data indicate that chronic irisin exposure may cause low sexual incentive motivation for opposite-sex partners in female rats via changes in reproductive hormones. The results suggest that irisin hormone may play a role in decreased sexual desire due to long-term exercise in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazife Ulker
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey.
| | - Ahmet Yardimci
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Eda Coban
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Mete Ozcan
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Sinan Canpolat
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey
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23
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Marcinkowska UM, Mijas M, Koziara K, Grebe NM, Jasienska G. Variation in sociosexuality across natural menstrual cycles: Associations with ovarian hormones and cycle phase. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2020.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Thomas AG, Armstrong SL, Stewart-Williams S, Jones BC. Current Fertility Status Does Not Predict Sociosexual Attitudes and Desires in Normally Ovulating Women. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 19:1474704920976318. [PMID: 33412934 PMCID: PMC10303467 DOI: 10.1177/1474704920976318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has found that women at peak fertility show greater interest in extra-pair sex. However, recent replications have failed to detect this effect. In this study, we add to this ongoing debate by testing whether sociosexuality (the willingness to have sex in the absence of commitment) is higher in women who are at peak fertility. A sample of normally ovulating women (N = 773) completed a measure of sociosexuality and had their current fertility status estimated using the backward counting method. Contrary to our hypothesis, current fertility was unrelated to sociosexual attitudes and desires, even when relationship status was included as a moderator. These findings raise further doubts about the association between fertility and desire for extra-pair sex.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Benedict C. Jones
- School of Psychological Sciences and
Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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25
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Shirazi TN, Levenberg K, Cunningham H, Self H, Dawood K, Cárdenas R, Ortiz TL, Carré JM, Breedlove SM, Puts DA. Relationships between ovarian hormone concentrations and mental rotations performance in naturally-cycling women. Horm Behav 2021; 127:104886. [PMID: 33202246 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Circulating gonadal hormones have been linked to variation in the structure and function of the adult human brain, raising the question of how cognition is affected by sex hormones in adulthood. The impacts of progestogens and estrogens are of special interest due to the widespread use of hormone supplementation. Multiple studies have analyzed relationships between ovarian hormones and mental rotation performance, one of the largest known cognitive sex differences; however, results are conflicting. These discrepancies are likely due in part to modest sample sizes and reliance on self-report measures to assess menstrual cycle phase. The present study aimed to clarify the impact of progestogens and estrogens on visuospatial cognition by relating mental rotation task performance to salivary hormone concentrations. Across two studies totaling 528 naturally-cycling premenopausal women, an internal meta-analysis suggested a small, positive effect of within-subjects changes in progesterone on MRT performance (estimate = 0.44, p = 0.014), though this result should be interpreted with caution given multiple statistical analyses. Between-subjects differences and within-subject changes in estradiol did not significantly predict MRT. These results shed light on the potential cognitive effects of endogenous and exogenous hormone action, and the proximate mechanisms modulating spatial cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia N Shirazi
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Kate Levenberg
- College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Heather Cunningham
- College of Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Heather Self
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Khytam Dawood
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Rodrigo Cárdenas
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Triana L Ortiz
- Department of Psychology, Nippissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Justin M Carré
- Department of Psychology, Nippissing University, North Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - S Marc Breedlove
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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Stern J, Karastoyanova K, Kandrik M, Torrance J, Hahn AC, Holzleitner I, DeBruine LM, Jones BC. Are Sexual Desire and Sociosexual Orientation Related to Men's Salivary Steroid Hormones? ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 6:447-466. [PMID: 33088674 PMCID: PMC7553893 DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00148-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Objective Although it is widely assumed that men’s sexual desire and interest in casual sex (i.e., sociosexual orientation) are linked to steroid hormone levels, evidence for such associations is mixed. Methods We tested for both longitudinal and cross-sectional relationships between salivary testosterone, cortisol, reported sexual desire and sociosexuality in a sample of 61 young adult men, each of whom was tested weekly on up to five occasions. Results Longitudinal analyses showed no clear relationships between steroid hormones and self-reported sexual desire or sociosexual orientation. Cross-sectional analyses showed no significant associations between average hormone levels and self-reported sexual desire. However, some aspects of sociosexuality, most notably desire for casual sex, were related to men’s average hormone levels. Men with higher average testosterone reported greater desire for casual sex, but only if they also had relatively low average cortisol levels. Conclusions Our results support a Dual Hormone account of men’s sociosexuality, in which the combined effects of testosterone and cortisol predict the extent of men’s interest in casual sex. However, we did not detect compelling evidence for an association of within-subject hormone shifts and sexual desire or sociosexual orientation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s40750-020-00148-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Stern
- Department of Psychology & Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Michal Kandrik
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jaimie Torrance
- Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Amanda C Hahn
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA USA
| | - Iris Holzleitner
- Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Lisa M DeBruine
- Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | - Benedict C Jones
- School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
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Pubertal timing predicts adult psychosexuality: Evidence from typically developing adults and adults with isolated GnRH deficiency. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 119:104733. [PMID: 32563936 PMCID: PMC8938930 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that psychosexuality in humans is modulated by both organizational effects of prenatal and peripubertal sex steroid hormones, and by activational effects of circulating hormones in adulthood. Experimental work in male rodents indicates that sensitivity to androgen-driven organization of sexual motivation decreases across the pubertal window, such that earlier puberty leads to greater sex-typicality. We test this hypothesis in typically developing men (n = 231) and women (n = 648), and in men (n = 72) and women (n = 32) with isolated GnRH deficiency (IGD), in whom the precise timing of peripubertal hormone exposure can be ascertained via the age at which hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was initiated. Psychosexuality was measured with the Sexual Desire Inventory-2 (SDI-2) and Sociosexual Orientation Inventory-Revised (SOI-R). In both sexes, earlier recalled absolute pubertal timing predicted higher psychosexuality in adulthood, although the magnitude of these associations varied with psychosexuality type and group (i.e., typically developing and IGD). Results were robust when controlling for circulating steroid hormones in typically developing participants. Age of initiation of HRT in men with IGD negatively predicted SOI-R. We discuss the clinical implications of our findings for conditions in which pubertal timing is medically altered.
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Not All Progestins are Created Equally: Considering Unique Progestins Individually in Psychobehavioral Research. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00137-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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29
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Shirazi TN, Rosenfield KA, Cárdenas RA, Breedlove SM, Puts DA. No evidence that hormonal contraceptive use or circulating sex steroids predict complex emotion recognition. Horm Behav 2020; 119:104647. [PMID: 31778719 PMCID: PMC8496674 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Relatively little is known about the effects of endogenous and exogenous steroid hormones on ecologically relevant behavioral and cognitive phenotypes in women, such as emotion recognition, despite the widespread use of steroid hormone-altering hormonal contraceptives (HCs). Though some previous studies have examined the effect of HC use, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone on emotion recognition in women, they have been limited by cross-sectional designs, small sample sizes (total n < 100), and compromised statistical power to detect significant effects. Using data from two test sessions in a large sample of naturally cycling women (NC; n = 192) and women on HCs (n = 203), we found no group differences in emotion recognition; further, the lack of group differences in emotion recognition was not modulated by item difficulty or emotional valence. Among NC women who provided saliva samples across two sessions that were assayed for estradiol and progesterone concentrations, we found no compelling evidence across models that between-subject differences and within-subject fluctuations in these ovarian hormones predicted emotion recognition accuracy, with the exception that between-subjects estradiol negatively predicted emotion recognition for emotions of neutral valence (p = .042). Among HC women who provided saliva samples across two sessions that were assayed for testosterone, we found no compelling evidence that between-subjects differences and within-subject fluctuations in testosterone predicted emotion recognition accuracy. Overall, our analyses provide little support for the idea that circulating endogenous or exogenous ovarian hormones influence emotion recognition in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia N Shirazi
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, United States of America
| | - Kevin A Rosenfield
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, United States of America
| | - Rodrigo A Cárdenas
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, United States of America
| | - S Marc Breedlove
- Department of Neuroscience, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States of America
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, United States of America.
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30
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Does women's anxious jealousy track changes in steroid hormone levels? Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 113:104553. [PMID: 31881502 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Findings for progesterone and anxiety in non-human animals led to the hypothesis that women's interpersonal anxiety will track changes in progesterone during the menstrual cycle. There have been few direct tests of this hypothesis, however. Consequently, we used a longitudinal design to investigate whether interpersonal anxiety (assessed using the anxious jealousy subscale of the relationship jealousy questionnaire) tracked changes in salivary steroid hormones during the menstrual cycle in a large sample of young adult women. We found no evidence for within-subject effects of progesterone, estradiol, their interaction or ratio, testosterone, or cortisol on anxious jealousy. There was some evidence that other components of jealousy (e.g., reactive jealousy) tracked changes in women's cortisol, however. Collectively, these results provide no evidence for the hypothesis that interpersonal anxiety tracks changes in progesterone during the menstrual cycle.
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Righetti F, Tybur J, Van Lange P, Echelmeyer L, van Esveld S, Kroese J, van Brecht J, Gangestad S. How reproductive hormonal changes affect relationship dynamics for women and men: A 15-day diary study. Biol Psychol 2019; 149:107784. [PMID: 31628974 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.107784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Research suggests that women's sexual psychology and behavior change across the ovulatory cycle, but very little is known about how fluctuations in estradiol and progesterone - two hormones that systematically vary across the ovulatory cycle - affect romantic relationship dynamics. We present the first dyadic study to assess daily hormonal fluctuations and personal and relationship well-being from both partners' perspectives. Specifically, we recruited women who were not using hormonal contraception and their partners for a 15-day diary study. Participants collected daily urine samples to assess estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, and they responded to daily questions about their relationship. Results revealed that increases in estradiol negatively affected women's relationship evaluations. Men perceived these changes, which in turn, affected men's well-being. The present findings highlight the importance of women's hormonal fluctuations in shaping relationship dynamics and provide, for the first time, information about how such fluctuations affect male partners.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Josh Tybur
- VU Amsterdam, Van der Boechorstraat 7, the Netherlands
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Wallner B, Windhager S, Schaschl H, Nemeth M, Pflüger LS, Fieder M, Domjanić J, Millesi E, Seidler H. Sexual Attractiveness: a Comparative Approach to Morphological, Behavioral and Neurophysiological Aspects of Sexual Signaling in Women and Nonhuman Primate Females. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-019-00111-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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