Psychology 2075 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Menstruation, Sertoli Cell, Phthalate

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2075
• Professor: William Fisher

Document Summary

Prenatal sexual differentiation: xx or xy. Hormones: chemical substances manufactured by endocrine glands and secreted directly into bloodstream: endocrine glands: thyroid, adrenals, pituitary. Most important: androgens: group of male sex hormones. Testosterone: hormone secreted by testes in male and also present at lower levels in female: estrogens: group of female sex hormones. Progesterone: female sex hormone secreted by ovaries. Testosterone: stimulate and maintain secondary sex characteristics. Stimulates follicle development in females and sperm production in males: luteinizing hormone (lh) Regulates estrogen secretion and ovum development in female and testosterone production in male. Negative feedback loop, called hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis (hpg axis: lh levels are regulated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) Secreted by hypothalamus: hypothalamus monitors testosterone levels, influences output of gnrh, ensure testosterone is maintained at constant level. Pituitary"s production of lh stimulates testes to produce testosterone. When testosterone levels get high, hypothalamus reduces production of gnrh. Pituitary"s production of lh is decreased, and production of testosterone decreases.