PSYC 342 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Amphiprioninae, Klinefelter Syndrome, Intersex
11 May 2018
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Lecture 7 (Feb 19th ) XXY & Intro to the Stress System
One last question about gonadal hormones…
- If males respond to females pheromones (axillary odors) do females respond to males? Do heterofemales respond to
male sexual odors and do homomales respond too?
4,16 androstadien-3-one(AND) (male pheromone) & estra-1,3,5(10), 16- tetraen-3-ol (EST) (female phromone)
PET scanner (blood flow in brain) – when women smell AND, it blood flow to ventromedial & POA
when men smell EST, it paraventricular & dorsomedial
• Women rate higher T men as more attractive suggesting that higher T leads to higher pheromones release.
• Male axillary smell LH release in females.
• Pheromones released in axillary odors from males & females.
• Hetero males show an T to pheromones of ovulating females.
• Homo males respond similarly to AND(male pheromones) as hetero females.
• Homo females respond similarly to EST as hetero males.
• No increase in hypothalamus blood flow to AND in homo males or EST in homo females.
• Females & males both release odors that are attractive to opposite sex & homosexual people are attracted to
pheromones on members on same sex.
Cross reference to XXY Movie
Alex, a person with abnormal sexual development – Klinefelter Syndrome
• Trisomic abnormality 47 XXY chromosomes (extra X)
• Instead of having the usual XY chromosome, biologic males have an extra X in their cells.
• Physical, endocrinologic, reproductive, cognitive & behavioral disabilities
• Severity of disabilitydiffer between individuals – people diagnosed with the syndrome only if severity cause
disturbances in their life (physical or hormonal issues). Some people have minimal abnormalities.
• Alex XXY born with ambiguous genitalia & was raised as a female even tho biological male.
• At puberty, huge T = pubertal T augments male genitalia..
• Different types of abnormal sexual development are exacerbated at puberty bc the onset of pubertal hormones nb
of 2◦ sex characteristiques & sex drive so it might make issues much more obvious. →hereas in childhood, most
children are relatively androgenous & sex doesn’t play much role in young children lives.
• Prevelance : between 1/500 and 1/1000 males.
None of these are biologic females, but can have genitals that are initially assumed as female (Alex)
Leading to her & parents to confusion bc as she went through puberty, she was less mistaken for a female.
• Tried to make comparaisons between Alex & Alvaro (surgen son) who was struggling equally with his identity
but in a different way. Many ways people struggle with identity, not necess. gender identity. Alvaro was
struggling with his sexual orientation.
• Contrast with fisher boys – no question in terms on identity: born biological male & develops typical male interest
in females, behaviors.
• Bring up a number of subtle biological evidence to the wide range of sexuality that occurs in nature.
Jelly fish reproduce by letting sperm or follicles into the water – sexuality is not always constrained.
Lizard – sexual development depends on surrounding temperature during critical development periods.
o Colder environment – female reptiles
o Warm environment – male reptiles
Clown fish are hermaphrodites (born males & only develop later into females) – strong hierarchy : 1 male & 1 female
that rule a “school” fish. All the other fishes are male subordinates. Only 1 female.. when she dies, the male dominant
turns into female & stronger male subordinates becomes the dominant male. References was put there to highlight that
we highlight binary, where in fact biology suggest there’s a much greater spectrum.
• Alex takes hormonal treatment: corticosteroids – stress hormone. Earliest components of puberty are controlled by
adrenal glands, which produces androgens. By providing corticosteroids, adrenal activation androgens so she
has longer time to make decision whether she wants to have surgery to become female or male.
Sexual Experience Promotes Adult Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus Despite an Initial Elevation in Stress Hormones
→e thought once brain is formed, it is no longer capable of producing new cells & it turns out it it’s not true.
Neurogenesis – birth of new neurons in the brain – brain in general is capable of producing new neural growth &
sexual experience can stimulate neurogenesis.
• Researchers gave rats sexual experience & looked at corticosterone levels (stress)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Lecture 7 (feb 19th ) xxy & intro to the stress system. 4,16 androstadien-3-one(and) (male pheromone) & estra-1,3,5(10), 16- tetraen-3-ol (est) (female phromone) Alex, a person with abnormal sexual development klinefelter syndrome. Hereas in childhood, most children are relatively androgenous & sex doesn"t play much role in young children lives: prevelance : between 1/500 and 1/1000 males. None of these are biologic females, but can have genitals that are initially assumed as female (alex) Many ways people struggle with identity, not necess. gender identity. Jelly fish reproduce by letting sperm or follicles into the water sexuality is not always constrained. Lizard sexual development depends on surrounding temperature during critical development periods: colder environment female reptiles, warm environment male reptiles. Clown fish are hermaphrodites (born males & only develop later into females) strong hierarchy : 1 male & 1 female that rule a school fish.
