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Holka-Pokorska J. Can research on entactogens contribute to a deeper understanding of human sexuality? Pharmacol Rep 2023; 75:1381-1397. [PMID: 37935915 PMCID: PMC10661745 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-023-00552-7] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, scientific research into the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds has experienced a resurgence of interest. New studies have shown promising results, supporting the use of psychedelic drugs in treating various psychiatric disorders, including treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even alcohol addiction. The FDA has recognized 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as a breakthrough therapy to treat symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. At the same time, interviews with recreational MDMA users have documented experiences of emotional intimacy while using MDMA, often without the desire for penetrative sex. However, some people have reported that MDMA increases their sexual arousal and specifically use it to enhance their sexual performance. This study aims to analyze current and planned research on the psychophysiological effects of entactogens on human sexuality. With their prosocial potential, the pharmacokinetic and neuroendocrine effects of entactogens may recreate the subjective experience of emotional intimacy, the initiation of intimate relationships, or even feelings of 'falling in love' with previously neutral individuals while under the influence of entactogens. This includes MDMA-induced sexual arousal-like effects observed through subjective behavioral perceptions of desire and arousal and specific physiological markers such as oxytocin and prolactin. Modern MDMA-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP) protocols are transparent and follow strict ethical guidelines. However, despite these proposed ethical principles, little consideration has been given to the potential neurobehavioral effects of entactogens on the sexuality of participants in MDMA-AP protocols. The psychophysiological and sexual effects of entactogens should be discussed more openly in current MDMA-AP protocols, including the potential experience of the phenomenon of sexualized pharmacotransference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Holka-Pokorska
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology of the Central Nervous System, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Sobieskiego 9, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland.
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2
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Jern P, Chen J, Tuisku J, Saanijoki T, Hirvonen J, Lukkarinen L, Manninen S, Helin S, Putkinen V, Nummenmaa L. Endogenous Opioid Release After Orgasm in Man: A Combined PET/Functional MRI Study. J Nucl Med 2023:jnumed.123.265512. [PMID: 37442599 PMCID: PMC10394307 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.265512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The endogenous μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system plays a key role in the mammalian reward circuit. Human and animal experiments suggest the involvement of MORs in human sexual pleasure, yet this hypothesis currently lacks in vivo support. Methods: We used PET with the radioligand [11C]carfentanil, which has high affinity for MORs, to quantify endogenous opioid release after orgasm in man. Participants were scanned once immediately after orgasm and once in a baseline state. Hemodynamic activity was measured with functional MRI during penile stimulation. Results: The PET data revealed significant opioid release in the hippocampus. Hemodynamic activity in the somatosensory and motor cortices and in the hippocampus and thalamus increased during penile stimulation, and thalamic activation was linearly dependent on self-reported sexual arousal. Conclusion: Our data show that endogenous opioidergic activation in the medial temporal lobe is centrally involved in sexual arousal, and this circuit may be implicated in orgasmic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jern
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland;
| | - Jinglu Chen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jouni Tuisku
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Tiina Saanijoki
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku BioImaging, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Jussi Hirvonen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Radiology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Lasse Lukkarinen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Sandra Manninen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Semi Helin
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Vesa Putkinen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Institute for Advanced Study, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Lauri Nummenmaa
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; and
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3
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Nikrahan GR. Theory of brain complexity and marital behaviors: The application of complexity science and neuroscience to explain the complexities of marital behaviors. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1050164. [PMID: 36959907 PMCID: PMC10027753 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1050164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The extant theories on the quality and stability of marital relationships have some difficulties in explaining some of the complexities of marital behaviors. The present article is an initial attempt to explain the complexities of marital behaviors based on the science of complexity and neuroscience. This article proposes a new theoretical framework relying on this simple argument that marital behaviors, as one of the most complex human behaviors, are the product of one's brain's complex adaptive system (CAS). Hence, to understand the complexities of marital behaviors, a movement toward familiarity with the brain's CAS involved in marital behaviors needs to be started. The article presents the theory of brain complexity and marital behaviors (BCM) and outlines its assumptions, concepts, and propositions. Then, BCM is compared with the extant theories on happy and stable marriage, and finally, it was concluded by discussing the testability and the potential application of the theory. This article might inspire interdisciplinary studies of marital relationships, complex systems, and neuroscience and may have considerable practical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gholam Reza Nikrahan
- Department of Psychology, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
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4
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Peragine DE, Skorska MN, Maxwell JA, Impett EA, VanderLaan DP. A Learning Experience? Enjoyment at Sexual Debut and the Gender Gap in Sexual Desire among Emerging Adults. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2022; 59:1092-1109. [PMID: 35081013 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2022.2027855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Gender differences in experience of first intercourse are among the largest in sexuality research, with women recalling less pleasure and satisfaction than men. This "enjoyment gap" has not been considered in explanations of gender differences in sexual desire. Yet, reinforcement and incentive learning feature prominently in recent models of women's sexual desire, and nonhuman animal models demonstrate their impact at sexual debut. We examined whether women's lower sexual desire is explained by their gender or by gendered experience of enjoyment at sexual debut. Emerging adults (N = 838) provided retrospective accounts of physical (orgasm) and affective (satisfaction) enjoyment at (hetero)sexual debut. We replicated gender differences across behavioral, general, and multidimensional measures of trait sexual desire; however, they were contingent on experience and measurement method. When its cognitive multidimensional properties were appreciated, women's sexual desire varied with experience of orgasm at sexual debut and diverged from men's only when orgasm did not occur. Such effects were not observed for satisfaction, nor for men. Nor did effects of a control event - masturbatory debut - extend beyond solitary sexual desire. Findings underscore the importance of orgasm equality, and suggest its absence at sexual debut may play an unacknowledged role in differentiating sexual desire.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Emily A Impett
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga
| | - Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
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5
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Jones AC, Eddy H. Gender attributions of orgasm non-occurrence in heterosexual relationships and their association with sexual and relationship outcomes. SEXUAL AND RELATIONSHIP THERAPY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/14681994.2022.2078958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam C. Jones
- Department of Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, USA
| | - Holly Eddy
- Department of Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, USA
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6
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Quintana GR. Can Orgasms Be Disentangled Into Their Parts? A Response to McKenna (2021). ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2022; 51:699-702. [PMID: 34799833 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-02219-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo R Quintana
- Escuela de Psicología y Filosofía, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Jurídicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, 7-D, Arica, Chile.
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Mollaioli D, Sansone A, Colonnello E, Limoncin E, Ciocca G, Vignozzi L, Jannini EA. Do We Still Believe There Is a G-spot? CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11930-021-00311-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
In the field of female sexuality, the existence of the so-called “G-spot” represents a topic still anchored to anecdotes and opinions and explained using non-scientific points, as well as being overused for commercial and mediatic purposes.
Purpose of Review
The scope of this review is to give an update on the current state of information regarding the G-spot and suggesting potential future directions in the research field of this interesting, albeit controversial, aspect of human sexual physiology.
Recent Findings
From evolutionary, anatomical, and functional points of view, new evidence has rebutted the original conceptualization of the G-spot, abandoning the idea of a specific anatomical point able to produce exceptional orgasmic experiences through the stimulation of the anterior vaginal wall, the site where the G-spot is assumed to be. From a psychological perspective, only few findings to date are able to describe the psychological, behavioral, and social correlates of the pleasure experience by G-spot-induced or, better, vaginally induced orgasm (VAO).
Summary
Recent literature suggests the existence of a G-spot but specifies that, since it is not a spot, neither anatomically nor functionally, it cannot be called G, nor spot, anymore. It is indeed a functional, dynamic, and hormone-dependent area (called clitorourethrovaginal, CUV, complex), extremely individual in its development and action due to the combined influence of biological and psychological aspects, which may trigger VAO and in some particular cases also female ejaculation (FE).
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Valera-Marín G, Young LJ, Camacho F, Paredes RG, Rodríguez VM, Díaz NF, Portillo W. Raised without a father: monoparental care effects over development, sexual behavior, sexual reward, and pair bonding in prairie voles. Behav Brain Res 2021; 408:113264. [PMID: 33775781 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Around 5 % of mammals are socially monogamous and both parents provide care to the pups (biparental, BP). Prairie voles are socially monogamous rodents extensively used to understand the neurobiological basis of pair bond formation and the consequences that the absence of one parent has in the offspring. Pair bonding, characterized by selective affiliation with a sexual partner, is facilitated in prairie voles by mating for 6 h or cohabitation without mating for 24 h. It was previously shown that prairie voles raised by their mother alone (monoparental, MP) show delayed pair bond formation upon reaching adulthood. In this study we evaluated the effects of BP and MP care provided on the offspring's development, ability to detect olfactory cues, preference for sexually relevant odors, display of sexual behavior, as well as the rewarding effects of mating. We also measured dopamine and serotonin concentration in the nucleus accumbens (ventral striatum) and dorsal striatum after cohabitation and mating (CM) to determine if differences in these neurotransmitters could underlie the delay in pair bond formation in MP voles. Our data showed that MP voles received less licking/grooming than BP voles, but no developmental differences between groups were found. No differences were found in the detection and discrimination of olfactory cues or preference for sexually relevant odors, as all groups innately preferred opposite sex odors. No differences were found in the display of sexual behavior. However, CM induced reinforcing properties only in BP males, followed by a preference for their sexual partner in BP but not MP males. BP males showed an increase in dopamine turnover (DOPAC/DA and HVA/DA) in the nucleus accumbens in comparison to MP voles. No differences in dopamine, serotonin or their metabolites were found in the dorsal striatum. Our results indicate that MP voles that received less licking behavior exhibit a delay in pair bond formation possibly because the sexual interaction is not rewarding enough.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Valera-Marín
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Larry J Young
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd., Atlanta, GA, 30329, United States
| | - Francisco Camacho
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Raúl G Paredes
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico; Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, UNAM, Mexico
| | - Verónica M Rodríguez
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Néstor F Díaz
- Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Montes Urales 800, Col. Lomas Virreyes, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de México, 11000, Mexico.
| | - Wendy Portillo
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico.
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9
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Lorenz T, Finley N. Mind-body-spirit model for the medical management of female sexual well-being. CURRENT SEXUAL HEALTH REPORTS 2020; 12:389-397. [PMID: 33815006 PMCID: PMC8011421 DOI: 10.1007/s11930-020-00291-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Although healthcare providers are increasingly interested in addressing their female patient's sexual wellbeing in a holistic fashion, most do not receive training in how to conceptualize the complex interactions between mind, body and spirit that drive health and wellness, let alone how to apply empirical data in any of these dimensions to their individual patients. Here, we present a simple mind-body-spirit model, grounded in an integrative medicine approach, to help translate research on sexual functioning and satisfaction into a shared decision-making plan for the management and enhancement of women's sexual wellness. RECENT FINDINGS In considering the dimensions of physical and behavioral health, spirituality and sensuality, physicians can help women orient to the ways in which their sexual healthcare can address their core values and connection to others, which in turn can improve sexual satisfaction. The application of the model is outlined in a case study. SUMMARY Too often female sexual wellbeing is not discussed in the medical setting and this mind-body-spirit model is a tool that health care providers could use address this important aspect of well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tierney Lorenz
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
- Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
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10
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11
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Domjan M, Gutiérrez G. The behavior system for sexual learning. Behav Processes 2019; 162:184-196. [PMID: 30831223 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In this paper we review and update evidence relevant to formulating a behavior system for sexual learning. We emphasize behavioral rather than neurobiological evidence and mechanisms. Our analysis focuses on three types of responses or response modes: general search, focal search, and consummatory or copulatory behavior. We consider how these response modes are influenced by three categories of stimuli: spatially distributed contextual cues, arbitrary localized stimuli, and species-typical cues provided by the sexual partner. We characterize behavior control by these types of stimuli before and after various Pavlovian conditioning procedures in which the unconditioned stimulus is provided by copulation with a sexual partner. The results document extensive Pavlovian modifications of sexual behavior. These conditioning effects reflect new conditioned responses that come to be elicited by various categories of stimuli. In addition, the conditioning of contextual cues and localized stimuli facilitate sexual responding to species-typical cues. Thus, learning experiences enhance how the species-typical cues of a sexual partner stimulate sexual behavior. These modulatory conditioning effects not only produce significant behavioral changes but also increase rates of fertilization of eggs and numbers of offspring produced. These latter findings suggest that sexual learning can lead to differential reproductive success, which in turn can contribute to evolutionary change.
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12
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Kennedy J, Pavličev M. Female orgasm and the emergence of prosocial empathy: An evo-devo perspective. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mihaela Pavličev
- Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth; Perinatal Institute; Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Cincinnati Ohio
- Department of Pediatrics; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Cincinnati Ohio
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13
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Ulloa M, Portillo W, Díaz NF, Young LJ, Camacho FJ, Rodríguez VM, Paredes RG. Mating and social exposure induces an opioid-dependent conditioned place preference in male but not in female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Horm Behav 2018; 97:47-55. [PMID: 29111331 PMCID: PMC5803795 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Revised: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
In rodents, sexual stimulation induces a positive affective state that is evaluated by the conditioned place preference (CPP) test. Opioids are released during sexual behavior and modulate the rewarding properties of this behavior. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are a socially monogamous species, in which copulation with cohabitation for 6h induces a pair bond. However, the mating-induced reward state that could contribute to the establishment of the long-term pair bond has not been evaluated in this species. The present study aimed to determine whether one ejaculation or cohabitation with mating for 6h is rewarding for voles. We also evaluated whether this state is opioid dependent. Our results demonstrate that mating with one ejaculation and social cohabitation with mating for 6h induce a CPP in males, while exposure to a sexually receptive female without mating did not induce CPP. In the female vole, mating until one ejaculation, social cohabitation with mating, or exposure to a male without physical interaction for 6h did not induce CPP. To evaluate whether the rewarding state in males is opioid dependent, the antagonist naloxone was injected i.p. The administration of naloxone blocked the rewarding state induced by one ejaculation and by social cohabitation with mating. Our results demonstrate that in the prairie vole, on the basis of the CPP in the testing conditions used here, the stimulation received with one ejaculation and the mating conditions that lead to pair bonding formation may be rewarding for males, and this reward state is opioid dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ulloa
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230, Mexico
| | - W Portillo
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230, Mexico.
| | - N F Díaz
- Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Montes Urales 800, Col. Lomas Virreyes, Del. Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de México 11000, Mexico.
| | - L J Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
| | - F J Camacho
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230, Mexico
| | - V M Rodríguez
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230, Mexico
| | - R G Paredes
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro 76230, Mexico
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Tecamachaltzi-Silvaran MB, Barradas-Moctezuma M, Herrera-Covarrubias D, Carrillo P, Corona-Morales AA, Perez CA, García LI, Manzo J, Coria-Avila GA. Olfactory conditioned same-sex partner preference in female rats: Role of ovarian hormones. Horm Behav 2017; 96:13-20. [PMID: 28867385 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The dopamine D2-type receptor agonist quinpirole (QNP) facilitates the development of conditioned same-sex partner preference in males during cohabitation, but not in ovariectomized (OVX) females, primed with estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P). Herein we tested the effects of QNP on OVX, EB-only primed females. Females received a systemic injection (every four days) of either saline (Saline-conditioned) or QNP (QNP-conditioned) and then cohabited for 24h with lemon-scented stimulus females (CS+), during three trials. In test 1 (female-female) preference was QNP-free, and females chose between the CS+ female and a novel female. In test 2 (male-female) they chose between the CS+ female and a sexually experienced male. In test 1 Saline-conditioned females displayed more hops & darts towards the novel female, but QNP-conditioned females displayed more sexual solicitations towards the CS+ female. In test 2 Saline-conditioned females displayed a clear preference for the male, whereas QNP-conditioned females displayed what we considered a bisexual preference. We discuss the effect of dopamine and ovarian hormones on the development of olfactory conditioned same-sex preference in females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - P Carrillo
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
| | | | - C A Perez
- Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
| | - L I García
- Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
| | - J Manzo
- Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
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de Baca TC, Epel ES, Robles TF, Coccia M, Gilbert A, Puterman E, Prather AA. Sexual intimacy in couples is associated with longer telomere length. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 81:46-51. [PMID: 28411413 PMCID: PMC5496682 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
High-quality relationships have been shown to be beneficial for physical and mental health. This study examined overall relationship satisfaction and perceived stress as well as daily reports of partner support, partner conflict, and physical intimacy obtained over the course of one week in a sample of 129 high and low stress mothers. Telomere length was examined in whole blood, as well as the two cell subpopulations: peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and granulocytes. Telomerase activity was measured in PBMCs. Analyses revealed no statistically significant associations of telomere length with current relationship satisfaction, daily support or conflict, or perceived stress. In contrast, women who reported any sexual intimacy during the course of the week had significantly longer telomeres measured in whole blood and PBMCs, but not in granulocytes. These relationships held covarying for age, body mass index, perceived stress, the relationship indices, and caregiver status. Sexual intimacy was not significantly related to PBMC telomerase activity. These data provide preliminary data that sexual intimacy is associated with longer telomere length. Future studies investigating these associations are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Cabeza de Baca
- Corresponding authors: Tomás Cabeza de Baca, and
Aric Prather, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco,
3333 California St., Suite 465, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA.,
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Aric A. Prather
- Corresponding authors: Tomás Cabeza de Baca, and
Aric Prather, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco,
3333 California St., Suite 465, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA.,
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16
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Ramírez-Rodríguez R, Tecamachaltzi-Silvaran MB, Díaz-Estrada VX, Chena-Becerra F, Herrera-Covarrubias D, Paredes-Ramos P, Manzo J, Garcia LI, Coria-Avila GA. Heterosexual experience prevents the development of conditioned same-sex partner preference in male rats. Behav Processes 2017; 136:43-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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