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Sexual Behavior (sexual + behavior)
Kinds of Sexual Behavior Selected AbstractsRisky Sexual Behavior Among Adolescent WomenJOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN PEDIATRIC NURSING, Issue 1 2000Margaret Taylor-Seehafer ISSUES AND PURPOSE. To review the epidemiology and etiology of risky sexual behavior in adolescent women, and to discuss implications for primary prevention. CONCLUSION. Adolescent women who participate in risky sexual behavior are at risk for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Black, Hispanic, and out-of-home adolescent women, however, are at greatest risk. Factors contributing to risky sexual behavior include early initiation of sexual intercourse, inconsistent use of condoms and other barrier contraception, and unprotected sexual intercourse. Identified protective factors for early initiation of sexual activity include the development of healthy sexuality, family and school connectedness, and the presence of caring adults. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Effective clinical interventions target high-risk adolescent women; incorporate environmental and cognitive-behavioral components; use social learning theories; address differences in regards to culture, developmental stage, and sexual experience; and support family and school involvement. [source] Religion, Pledging, and the Premarital Sexual Behavior of Married Young AdultsJOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 3 2008Jeremy E. Uecker Social scientists know little about the effect of religion and abstinence pledging on premarital sex beyond adolescence. Evidence from a sample of married young adults in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N = 2,079) reveals that premarital sex is widespread even among religious Americans and abstinence pledgers. Nevertheless, these individuals are much more likely than their counterparts to avoid premarital sex entirely. When they do have premarital sex, pledgers are more likely to restrict the behavior to their future spouse. Though contextual, exposure, and social control effects explain some of the influence of religion and abstinence pledging, religion and abstinence pledging appear to exert robust, direct effects on premarital sexual behavior. [source] Canadian Aboriginal Youth: Social, Interpersonal Factors Are Key to Sexual BehaviorPERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, Issue 3 2009Article first published online: 3 SEP 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] For Some Newly Homeless Youth, Living Situation and Substance Use Are Linked to Risky Sexual BehaviorPERSPECTIVES ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, Issue 2 2008D. Hollander No abstract is available for this article. [source] Sexual Behavior in China: Trends and ComparisonsPOPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, Issue 4 2007William L. Parish Dramatic political, economic, and social changes in China over the past several decades have been accompanied by much discussion in popular media and among academics of a fundamental transformation in Chinese sexual behavior. Several studies have examined current Chinese sexual behavior but have been limited to particular provinces or cities and have been based on non-random samples. The potential threat of a generalized HIV epidemic in China highlights the dearth of population-based information on current patterns of sexual behavior that could help design better intervention strategies and prevent misguided ones. This article uses data from the first national probability survey of adult sexual behavior in China completed during 1999,2000, along with a historical and literature review, to address three key questions: 1) Has there been a revolution in sexual behavior in China? 2) Is China unique compared to other countries in these transformations? 3) What are the implications of these findings for China's risk of a generalized HIV epidemic? [source] Sex under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol: Common for Men in Substance Abuse Treatment and Associated with High-Risk Sexual BehaviorTHE AMERICAN JOURNAL ON ADDICTIONS, Issue 2 2010Donald A. Calsyn PhD Sex under the influence of drugs or alcohol is associated with high-risk sexual behavior. Heterosexual men (n = 505) in substance abuse treatment completed a computer-administered interview assessing sexual risk behaviors. Most men (73.3%) endorsed sex under the influence in the prior 90 days, and 39.1% endorsed sex under the influence during their most recent sexual event. Sex under the influence at the most recent event was more likely to involve anal intercourse, sex with a casual partner, and less condom use. Patients might benefit from interventions targeting sexual behavior and substance use as mutual triggers.,(Am J Addict 2010;00:1,9) [source] Looking at Sexual Behavior 60 Years after KinseyTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2010Irwin Goldstein MD Editor-in-Chief No abstract is available for this article. [source] CASE REPORTS: Abnormal Sexual Behavior During SleepTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 12 2009Giacomo Della Marca MD ABSTRACT Introduction., Automatic, uncontrolled, and unaware sexual behaviors during sleep have occasionally been described. The clinical and polysomnographic features of nocturnal sexual behavior allow it to be considered a distinct parasomnia named "sexsomnia". Recently, abnormal sexual behaviors during sleep have been evaluated in the forensic medical context because violent behaviors can be associated with this parasomnia. Aim., To describe the clinical and polysomnographic findings in three patients who referred to our sleep laboratory for sleep disorders and who reported episodes of sleep-related sexual activation. Main Outcome Measures., We analyzed video-polysomnographic recordings, sleep structure, sleep microstructure, and sleep-related respiratory events. Methods., The patients were three males aged 42, 32, and 46 years. All had unremarkable medical, neurological, and psychiatric histories. All underwent full-night polysomnography. Results., Each patient presented a distinct sleep disorder: one had severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), one presented clinical and polysomnographic features of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep parasomnia (somnambulism), and the third presented clinical and polysomnographic features of rapid eye movement behavior disorder. Conclusions., In our patients, the clinical and polysomnographic findings suggest that abnormal nocturnal sexual behavior can occur in association with distinct sleep disorders, characterized by different pathophysiologic mechanisms and distinctive treatments. Abnormal sexual behaviors during sleep should be investigated with polysomnography in order to define their pathophysiology and to establish appropriate treatments. Della Marca G, Dittoni S, Frusciante R, Colicchio S, Losurdo A, Testani E, Buccarella C, Modoni A, Mazza S, Mennuni GF, Mariotti P, and Vollono C. Abnormal sexual behavior during sleep. J Sex Med 2009;6:3490,3495. [source] Inappropriate Sexual Behaviors in Patients with Vascular Dementia: Possible Response to FinasterideJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 11 2009Hae Ri Na MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] Sexual Behaviors, Condom Use, and Sexual Health of Americans Over 50: Implications for Sexual Health Promotion for Older AdultsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2010Vanessa Schick PhD ABSTRACT Introduction., In the contemporary U.S., men and women are living longer and healthier lives. As such, many people spend greater portions of their lives as sexually active individuals. Yet, little is known about the myriad of ways that older adults experience their sexual lives. Aim., This study sought to assess the context and frequency of sexual behaviors, condom use, sexual pleasure, and sexual experience of men and women over age 50. Methods., Information regarding the sexual experiences of a nationally representative sample of men and women over age 50 within the past year was examined. Main Outcome Measures., Sexual behavior over the past year was assessed in relation to several situational and contextual characteristics (e.g., event location, type of partner, health status, condom use). Participants were also asked about their experience (i.e., pleasure, arousal, pain, lubrication/erectile difficulties, and orgasm) during their most recent partnered sexual event. Bivariate or ordinal logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship of age, health and partner status to sexual frequency and experience. Results., Although sizable proportions (20,30%) of both men and women remained sexually active well into their 80s age was related to a lower likelihood of solo and most partnered sexual behaviors. When controlling for age, relationship status, and health remained significant predictors of select sexual behaviors. The participant's evaluation of their most recent sexual experience in terms of arousal, erectile difficulty, and orgasm all declined with age. Health status was related to men's evaluation of the experience. Relationship status was the most consistent predictor of women's evaluation of the experience. Condom use rates remained low for participants across age groups. Conclusion., Many older adults continue be sexually active well into advanced age (80+). Thus, providers need to be attentive to the diverse sexual health needs of older adults. Schick V, Herbenick D, Reece M, Sanders SA, Dodge B, Middlestadt SE, and Fortenberry JD. Sexual behaviors, condom use, and sexual health of Americans over 50: Implications for sexual health promotion for older adults. J Sex Med 2010;7(suppl 5):315,329. [source] Sexual Orientation and Sex in Women's Lives: Conceptual and Methodological IssuesJOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES, Issue 2 2000Esther D. Rothblum Use of such categorical terms as heterosexual, bisexual, and lesbian is widespread, yet research indicates that sexuality is a multidimensional phenomenon. Sexual behavior, identity, and desire are not highly intercorrelated for women, and this has implications for new ways of conceptualizing sexual orientation. Furthermore, the multifaceted nature of sexual orientation has implications for conceptualizing sexual activity and sexual desire for women. Some methodological issues are presented for future research on female sexual orientation, including a better understanding of gender and a more multifaceted approach to sexual orientation. [source] Sexual behavior in female western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): evidence for sexual competitionAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2009Tara S. Stoinski Abstract Previous research in gorillas suggests that females engage in post-conception mating as a form of sexual competition designed to improve their own reproductive success. This study focused on sexual behaviors in a newly formed group of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) housed at Zoo Atlanta. All females engaged in mating outside their conceptive periods, although there was individual variation in the frequency of the behavior. An analysis of the presence/absence of sexual behavior found females, regardless of reproductive condition, were more likely to engage in sexual behavior on days when other females were sexually active. On these "co-occurrence" days, females were significantly more likely to solicit the silverback, but copulations did not differ from expectation. The results find further evidence for sexual competition among female gorillas and suggest that this may occur throughout their reproductive cycle rather than only during pregnancy. Am. J. Primatol. 71:587,593, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Sexual behavior across ovarian cycles in wild black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra): male mate guarding and female mate choiceAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Sarie Van Belle Abstract We studied two multimale,multifemale groups of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) during a 14-month study (June 2006,July 2007) in Palenque National Park, Mexico to evaluate the ways in which their sexual behavior changes across ovarian cycles. We analyzed 231 fecal samples, collected every 2.2±1.4 days from five females. For four females, estradiol and progesterone profiles revealed an average (±SE) cycle length of 18.3±1.4 days. Copulations occurred significantly more frequently during the periovulatory period (POP), defined as the estimated day of ovulation ±3 days (N=18). This was largely the result of cycling females soliciting sexual interactions during their POPs. Females directed their solicitations significantly more often toward "central" males of their group, who had close spatial associations with females at other times, compared with "noncentral" males, who did not associate closely with females. Central males rarely solicited sexual interactions, but instead monitored the females' reproductive status by sniffing their genitals, and maintained significantly closer proximity to females during their POPs, suggesting male mate guarding when conceptions are most likely to occur. Our findings indicate that the reproductive strategies of black howler central males and females coincide, highly skewing mating opportunities toward central males. Black howler females, however, occasionally choose to copulate with noncentral resident males or extra-group males during their POPs, undermining the ability of central males to monopolize all reproductive opportunities. Am. J. Primatol. 71:153,164, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Sexual Behaviors, Condom Use, and Sexual Health of Americans Over 50: Implications for Sexual Health Promotion for Older AdultsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2010Vanessa Schick PhD ABSTRACT Introduction., In the contemporary U.S., men and women are living longer and healthier lives. As such, many people spend greater portions of their lives as sexually active individuals. Yet, little is known about the myriad of ways that older adults experience their sexual lives. Aim., This study sought to assess the context and frequency of sexual behaviors, condom use, sexual pleasure, and sexual experience of men and women over age 50. Methods., Information regarding the sexual experiences of a nationally representative sample of men and women over age 50 within the past year was examined. Main Outcome Measures., Sexual behavior over the past year was assessed in relation to several situational and contextual characteristics (e.g., event location, type of partner, health status, condom use). Participants were also asked about their experience (i.e., pleasure, arousal, pain, lubrication/erectile difficulties, and orgasm) during their most recent partnered sexual event. Bivariate or ordinal logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship of age, health and partner status to sexual frequency and experience. Results., Although sizable proportions (20,30%) of both men and women remained sexually active well into their 80s age was related to a lower likelihood of solo and most partnered sexual behaviors. When controlling for age, relationship status, and health remained significant predictors of select sexual behaviors. The participant's evaluation of their most recent sexual experience in terms of arousal, erectile difficulty, and orgasm all declined with age. Health status was related to men's evaluation of the experience. Relationship status was the most consistent predictor of women's evaluation of the experience. Condom use rates remained low for participants across age groups. Conclusion., Many older adults continue be sexually active well into advanced age (80+). Thus, providers need to be attentive to the diverse sexual health needs of older adults. Schick V, Herbenick D, Reece M, Sanders SA, Dodge B, Middlestadt SE, and Fortenberry JD. Sexual behaviors, condom use, and sexual health of Americans over 50: Implications for sexual health promotion for older adults. J Sex Med 2010;7(suppl 5):315,329. [source] Risky Parental Behavior and Adolescent Sexual Activity at First CoitusTHE MILBANK QUARTERLY, Issue 3 2002Esther I. Wilder In comparison with other industrialized countries, the United States has exceptionally high rates of adolescent pregnancy and abortion. In 1999, nearly half of high-school students reported having had sexual intercourse, and 6 percent said they had been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant (CDC 2000). American adolescents are especially unlikely to use birth control, and those who do practice contraception tend to rely on inefficient methods (Forrest 1990). Sexual behavior at first intercourse is of particular interest because early entry into sexual activity is associated with contraceptive nonuse and a heightened risk of pregnancy (Abma and Sonenstein 2001; Koenig and Zelnik 1982; Zabin, Kantner, and Zelnik 1979). Moreover, the timing of first intercourse may be a useful marker for risky sexual behavior and a history of sexually transmitted diseases (Greenberg, Magder, and Aral 1992). For example, age at first intercourse is inversely associated with the number of lifetime sexual partners (McGuire et al. 1992). Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) were used to examine the impact of parents' behavior on adolescents' sexual experience and contraceptive use. All else being equal, adolescents whose parents engage in risky behaviors are especially likely to be sexually active and to have had sex before age 15. These findings are only partly attributable to the link between parents' risky behaviors (smoking, drinking, driving without seatbelts) and adolescents' risky behaviors (smoking, drinking, delinquent activity, association with substance-using peers). Although parental behaviors are effective predictors of adolescents' sexual activity, they are not effective predictors of contraceptive use or of method choice at first coitus. Overall, parents with low levels of self-efficacy seem to be especially likely to have children at risk of engaging in problem behaviors. [source] Sexual Behaviors, Condom Use, and Sexual Health of Americans Over 50: Implications for Sexual Health Promotion for Older AdultsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2010Vanessa Schick PhD ABSTRACT Introduction., In the contemporary U.S., men and women are living longer and healthier lives. As such, many people spend greater portions of their lives as sexually active individuals. Yet, little is known about the myriad of ways that older adults experience their sexual lives. Aim., This study sought to assess the context and frequency of sexual behaviors, condom use, sexual pleasure, and sexual experience of men and women over age 50. Methods., Information regarding the sexual experiences of a nationally representative sample of men and women over age 50 within the past year was examined. Main Outcome Measures., Sexual behavior over the past year was assessed in relation to several situational and contextual characteristics (e.g., event location, type of partner, health status, condom use). Participants were also asked about their experience (i.e., pleasure, arousal, pain, lubrication/erectile difficulties, and orgasm) during their most recent partnered sexual event. Bivariate or ordinal logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship of age, health and partner status to sexual frequency and experience. Results., Although sizable proportions (20,30%) of both men and women remained sexually active well into their 80s age was related to a lower likelihood of solo and most partnered sexual behaviors. When controlling for age, relationship status, and health remained significant predictors of select sexual behaviors. The participant's evaluation of their most recent sexual experience in terms of arousal, erectile difficulty, and orgasm all declined with age. Health status was related to men's evaluation of the experience. Relationship status was the most consistent predictor of women's evaluation of the experience. Condom use rates remained low for participants across age groups. Conclusion., Many older adults continue be sexually active well into advanced age (80+). Thus, providers need to be attentive to the diverse sexual health needs of older adults. Schick V, Herbenick D, Reece M, Sanders SA, Dodge B, Middlestadt SE, and Fortenberry JD. Sexual behaviors, condom use, and sexual health of Americans over 50: Implications for sexual health promotion for older adults. J Sex Med 2010;7(suppl 5):315,329. [source] Sexual Health Among U.S. Black and Hispanic Men and Women: A Nationally Representative StudyTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2010Brian Dodge PhD ABSTRACT Introduction., Little is known about the prevalence of sexual behaviors among the black and Hispanic populations in the United States outside the context of sexual risk and disease transmission in "high-risk" samples. Aim., This study sought to establish current rates of sexual behaviors, sexual health care practices (i.e., experiences with testing and diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections [STIs]), and condom use in a probability sample of black and Hispanic adult men and women in the United States. Main Outcome Measures., Sexual behaviors including solo masturbation, partnered masturbation, receiving oral sex and giving oral sex, vaginal intercourse, and anal intercourse were assessed. Self-reported rates of HIV and other STI testing, and self-reported history of STI diagnosis were examined. Also assessed were rates of condom use during most recent and past 10 vaginal intercourse events. Methods., Data from a probability sample of 1246 black and Hispanic adults were analyzed to explore sexual behaviors, condom use, and STI testing and diagnosis trends. Results., Masturbation, oral sex, and vaginal intercourse were prevalent among black and Hispanic men and women throughout the life course. Anal intercourse and same-gender sexual activities were less common. Self-reported rates of HIV testing were relatively high but varied by gender across age groups. Similarly, rates of testing for other STI were high and differed by gender across age groups. Overall rates of condom use among black and Hispanic men and women were relatively high and did not appear to be related to a variety of situational factors including location of sexual encounter, relationship status, other contraceptive use, and substance use during sexual activity. Conclusion., These data provide a foundation for understanding diverse sexual behaviors, sexual health-care practices, and condom use among the general population of black and Hispanic men and women in the United States. Dodge B, Reece M, Herbenick D, Schick V, Sanders SA, and Fortenberry JD. Sexual health among U.S. black and Hispanic men and women: a nationally representative study. J Sex Med 2010;7(suppl 5):330,345. [source] Sexual behaviors among children and adolescents with acquired brain injury: an incidence survey at a community-based neurorehabilitation centerBEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS, Issue 1 2005James K. Luiselli We conducted a survey to identify the incidence of sexual behaviors among a community sample of children and adolescents with acquired brain injury (ABI). The survey was completed by professional staff at a residential pediatric neurorehabilitation setting and included behaviors observed directly during their employment tenure (1,6 years). The five highest ranked categories of sexual behaviors from a sample of 24 students were (1) masturbation, (2) sex talk, (3) attempted or actual ,petting/fondling';, (4) attempt to solicit sex, and (5) verbal sexual threat. Staff identified relatively few students who exhibited sexually coercive or aggressive behaviors. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Disruption of brain development in male rats exposed prenatally to 5-bromo-2,-deoxyuridineCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 4 2001Makiko Kuwagata ABSTRACT, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated intraperitoneally with 5-bromo-2,-deoxyuridine (BrdU) at 0,12.5 or 50 mg/kg/day on days 9 through 15 of gestation to evaluate the effects on development of the brain of offspring. Prenatal exposure to BrdU induced abnormal development of the brain; dilatation of the lateral ventricles in male offspring in the postnatal period. The ratio of the length of the longitudinal fissure to that of the cerebral cortex decreased in a dose-dependent manner in the embryonic period and thereafter. In 14-week-old male offspring exposed prenatally to BrdU at 50 mg/kg, the cortex layer of the cerebrum was thinner than that of the controls. Masculine sexual behavior was markedly impaired and the volume of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) was decreased in the 50 mg/kg group as compared with the controls. These results demonstrate that prenatal exposure to BrdU affected the development of the brain hi the prenatal and postnatal stages and reduced the volume of SDN-POA after puberty, resulting in a disruption of reproductive ability in male rats. [source] Organizational effects of maternal testosterone on reproductive behavior of adult house sparrowsDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 14 2008Jesko Partecke Abstract Despite the well-known, long-term, organizational actions of sex steroids on phenotypic differences between the sexes, studies of maternal steroids in the vertebrate egg have mainly focused on effects seen in early life. Long-term organizational effects of yolk hormones on adult behavior and the underlying mechanisms that generate them have been largely ignored. Using an experiment in which hand-reared house sparrows (Passer domesticus) from testosterone- or control-treated eggs were kept under identical conditions, we show that testosterone treatment in the egg increased the frequency of aggressive, dominance, and sexual behavior of 1-year-old, reproductively competent house sparrows. We also show that circulating plasma levels of progesterone, testosterone, 5,-dihydrotestosterone, and 17,-estradiol did not differ between treatment groups. Thus, a simple change in adult gonadal hormone secretion is not the primary physiological cause of long-term effects of maternal steroids on adult behavior. Rather, differences in adult behavior caused by exposure to yolk testosterone during embryonic development are likely generated by organizational modifications of brain function. Furthermore, our data provide evidence that hormone-mediated maternal effects are an epigenetic mechanism causing intra-sexual variation in adult behavioral phenotype. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 2008 [source] Identification of prostaglandin E2 receptors mediating perinatal masculinization of adult sex behavior and neuroanatomical correlatesDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 12 2008Christopher L. Wright Abstract Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) mediates the organization of male rat sexual behavior and medial preoptic area (MPOA) neuroanatomy during a sensitive perinatal window. PGE2 is up-regulated in response to estradiol, and initiates a two-fold increase in dendritic spines densities on neurons. All the four receptors for PGE2 and EP1-4 are present in developing POA, a critical region controlling male sexual behavior. Previous studies explored that EP receptors are involved in PGE2-induction of neonatal levels of spinophilin protein, a surrogate marker for dendritic spine formation, but did not assess behavioral masculinization. Here, we used two approaches, suppression of EP receptor expression with antisense oligonucleotides and activation of EP receptors with selective agonists, to test which receptors are necessary and sufficient, respectively, for the effects of PGE2 on behavior and neuronal morphology. In female rats, neonatal treatment with antisense oligonucleotides against EP2 or EP4 but not EP1 or EP3 completely prevented the expression of adult behavior organized by PGE2 exposure. The effects of ONO-DI-004, ONO-AE-259-01, ONO-AE-248, and ONO-AE1-329 (EP1-4 agonists respectively) were equivalent to PGE2 treatment, which suggests activating any EP receptor neonatally suffices in masculinizing sex behavior. When given alone, not all EP agonists increased neonatal POA spinophilin levels; yet giving each agonist neonatally increased adult levels. Moreover, adult spinophilin levels significantly correlated with two measures of male sexual behavior. The body of evidence suggests that EP2 and EP4 are both necessary and sufficient for PGE2-induced masculinization of sex behavior, whereas EP1 and EP3 provide redundant roles. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2008 [source] Localization of estrogen receptor-, and -,mRNA in brain areas controlling sexual behavior in Japanese quailDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Krister Halldin Abstract Two estrogen receptors (ERs), denoted ER, and ER,, have been identified in humans and various animal species, including the Japanese quail. Estrogens play a key role in sexual differentiation and in activation of sexual behavior in Japanese quail. The distribution of ER, in the brain of male and female adult quail has previously been studied using immunohistochemistry, whereas in situ hybridization has been employed to study the distribution of ER, mRNA in males only. In this article, we used in situ hybridization to study the distribution of mRNAs for both ER, and ER, in brain areas controlling sexual behavior of Japanese quail. Our results show that both ER, mRNA and ER, mRNA are localized in areas important for sexual behavior, such as the preoptic area and associated limbic areas, in both males and females. Moreover, we found differences in distribution of mRNA for the two receptors in these areas. The results of this article support previously reported data and provide novel data on localization of ER mRNAs in adult quail brain of both sexes. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol, 2005 [source] Brain aromatase, 5,-reductase, and 5,-reductase change seasonally in wild male song sparrows: Relationship to aggressive and sexual behaviorDEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Kiran K. Soma Abstract In many species, territoriality is expressed only during the breeding season, when plasma testosterone (T) is elevated. In contrast, in song sparrows (Melospiza melodia morphna), males are highly territorial during the breeding (spring) and nonbreeding (autumn) seasons, but not during molt (late summer). In autumn, plasma sex steroids are basal, and castration has no effect on aggression. However, inhibition of aromatase reduces nonbreeding aggression, suggesting that neural steroid metabolism may regulate aggressive behavior. In wild male song sparrows, we examined the neural distribution of aromatase mRNA and seasonal changes in the activities of aromatase, 5,-, and 5,-reductase, enzymes that convert T to 17,-estradiol, 5,-dihydrotestosterone (5,-DHT, a potent androgen), or 5,-DHT (an inactive metabolite), respectively. Enzyme activities were measured in the diencephalon, ventromedial telencephalon (vmTEL, which includes avian amygdala), caudomedial neostriatum (NCM), and the hippocampus of birds captured during spring, molt, or autumn. Aromatase and 5,-reductase changed seasonally in a region-specific manner. Aromatase in the diencephalon was higher in spring than in molt and autumn, similar to seasonal changes in male sexual behavior. Aromatase activity in the vmTEL was high in both spring and autumn but significantly reduced at molt, similar to seasonal changes in aggression. 5,-Reductase was not elevated during molt, suggesting that low aggression during molt is not a result of increased inactivation of androgens. These data highlight the relevance of neural steroid metabolism to the expression of natural behaviors by free-living animals. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 56: 209,221, 2003 [source] Rats selectively bred for low levels of 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations exhibit alterations in early social motivationDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008K.M. Harmon Abstract In rats, the rates of 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) can be used as a selective breeding phenotype and variations in this phenotype can be an indicator of affective states. The 50 kHz USV is elicited by rewarding stimuli (e.g., food, sexual behavior) and therefore can express a positive affective state. Conversely, the 22 kHz USV is elicited by aversive stimuli (e.g., presence of a predator, social defeat) indicating a negative affective state. In the present study, we tested the effect of selectively breeding for 50 kHz USVs on a variety of maternal social/emotional behaviors in young rat pups (PND 10-12). These measures consisted of an assessment of isolation calls and conditioned odor preference paradigm. Results indicate that animals selected for low levels of 50 kHz USVs show the greatest alterations in social behaviors compared to the control animals. The low line animals had an increase in isolation calls tested during place preference conditioning and a decrease in 50 kHz ultrasonic calls in all conditions. These same low line animals failed to show a typical preference for a maternally-associated odor during the place preference test. The different social behaviors of the high line animals did not consistently vary from those of the control group. These results have important implications for the study of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying emotional states, and possibly contribute to the research underlying the emotional changes in developmental disorders such as autistic spectrum disorder by providing a novel animal model that displays communication deficits that are interdependent with significant social behavioral impairments. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 322,331, 2008. [source] Effects of neonatal novelty exposure on sexual behavior, fear, and stress-response in adult ratsDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2007Fernando Benetti Abstract Environmental stimuli in early life may result in permanent behavioral and physiological changes. Present study evaluated the effects of exposing pups to a novel environment on behaviors (open-field test and sexual behavior) and prolactin stress-responses in adult male rats. Half of a litter was daily removed outside (OUT) from the nest and stimulated by handling for 3 min, while the other half remained inside (IN) the nest and was also handled for the same period during the first 10 days postpartum. Maternal behavior after all the pups were returned to the nest was not different between IN and OUT littermates. In adulthood, OUT males showed increased general and central locomotion activity in the open-field test, reduced sexual behavior, and attenuated prolactin secretion in response to restraint stress compared with the IN littermates. The repeated exposition of rat pups to a novel environment is a causal factor for the long-lasting behavioral and endocrine changes. The premature exposition of the pup to unfamiliar environments decreases fear and stress-response, and also reduces sexual behavior. We suggest that the absence of the odor of the mother may be crucial to explain the effects detected in adulthood. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 49: 258,264, 2007. [source] Embryonic origin of mate choice in a lizard with temperature-dependent sex determinationDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006Oliver Putz Abstract Individual differences in the adult sexual behavior of vertebrates are rooted in the fetal environment. In the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius), a species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), hatchling sex ratios differ between incubation temperatures, as does sexuality in same-sex animals. This variation can primarily be ascribed to the temperature having direct organizing actions on the brain. Here we demonstrate that embryonic temperature can affect adult mate choice in the leopard gecko. Given the simultaneous choice between two females from different incubation temperatures (30.0 and 34.0°,C), males from one incubation temperature (30.0°,C) preferred the female from 34.0°,C, while males from another incubation temperature (32.5°,C) preferred the female from 30.0°,C. We suggest that this difference in mate choice is due to an environmental influence on brain development leading to differential perception of opposite-sex individuals. This previously unrecognized modulator of adult mate choice lends further support to the view that mate choice is best understood in the context of an individual's entire life-history. Thus, sexual selection results from a combination of the female's as well as the male's life history. Female attractiveness and male choice therefore are complementary. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 48: 29,38, 2006. [source] Individual trajectories of substance use in lesbian, gay and bisexual youth and heterosexual youthADDICTION, Issue 6 2009Michael P. Marshal ABSTRACT Aims Several decades of research have shown that lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adults are at high risk for substance use and substance use disorders, and a recent meta-analysis shows that these disparities most probably begin in adolescence; however, no studies to date have examined longitudinal growth in substance use in LGB youth and heterosexual youth to determine if they follow different trajectories into young adulthood. The primary aims of this paper were to estimate individual trajectories of substance use in youth and examine differences between self-identified LGB and heterosexual subsamples. Method A school-based, longitudinal study of health-related behaviors of adolescents and their outcomes in young adulthood was used to test our hypotheses (The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health). Participants were included if they were interviewed at all three waves and were not missing information regarding self-identified sexual orientation (n = 10 670). Results Latent curve models (LCMs) showed that LGB identity was associated significantly with individual variability in substance use intercepts and slopes, above and beyond age, race and gender. Self-identified LGB youth reported higher initial rates of substance use and on average their substance use increased over time more rapidly than did substance use by heterosexual youth. Two other indicators of sexual orientation (same-sex romantic attraction and same-sex sexual behavior) were also associated with substance use trajectories, and differential results were found for youth who identified as ,mostly heterosexual' and bisexual compared with youth who identified as completely heterosexual or homosexual. Conclusions Sexual orientation is an important risk marker for growth in adolescent substance use, and the disparity between LGB and heterosexual adolescents increases as they transition into young adulthood. More research is needed in order to examine: causal mechanisms, protective factors, important age-related trends (using a cohort-sequential design), the influence of gay-related developmental milestones, curvilinear effects over time and long-term health outcomes. [source] Effects of Male Vocal Learning on Female Behavior in the Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatusETHOLOGY, Issue 10 2005Arla G. Hile Parrots are unusual among birds and animals in general in the extent of their ability to learn new vocalizations throughout life and irrespective of season. The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), a small parrot that is well suited for laboratory studies, has been the subject of numerous studies investigating the neurobiology of vocal learning. To date, few studies have focused on the function of vocal imitation by parrots. Previous work from our research group has shown that vocal imitation in budgerigars is sex-biased, as males paired with females learn vocalizations from their new mates, but not vice versa. This bias led us to hypothesize that vocal learning has a reproductive function. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two experiments. In the first experiment, we tutored males so that they could produce a call similar to one shared by a group of experimental females. The experimental females were then presented with one of the tutored males and another, equally unfamiliar, male that had not been tutored. We found that the females spent a greater proportion of time in proximity of, and made more affiliative displays toward, the tutored males. In the second experiment, seven males received small bilateral brain lesions that disrupt vocal learning. These males and an equal number of control males were then released into an aviary containing females and reproductive resources. We found that lesioned and control males were equally successful in obtaining social mates, but females mated to lesioned males were more likely to engage in extra-pair activities. These experiments indicate that a male's ability to imitate a female's call can influence the sexual behavior of the female even though lack of imitation ability does not appear to influence social pairing. We hypothesize that mate choice in budgerigars has multiple stages. Upon meeting a strange male, a female quickly assesses its ability for social acquisition of calls by the presence or absence of a call type similar to its own in its repertoire. As courtship proceeds into pair formation, the female assesses the ability of male to learn more directly by the extent of the male's perfection of imitation. [source] SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE AND THE EVOLUTION OF MATING SYSTEMSEVOLUTION, Issue 6 2002Hanna Kokko Abstract ., Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have been shown to increase the costs of multiple mating and therefore favor relatively monogamous mating strategies. We examine another way in which STDs can influence mating systems in species in which female choice is important. Because more popular males are more likely to become infected, STDs can counteract any selective pressure that generates strong mating skews. We build two models to investigate female mate choice when the sexual behavior of females determines the prevalence of infection in the population. The first model has no explicit social structure. The second model considers the spatial distribution of matings under social monogamy, when females mated to unattractive males seek extrapair fertilizations from attractive males. In both cases, the STD has the potential to drastically reduce the mating skew. However, this reduction does not always happen. If the per contact transmission probability is low, the disease dies out and is of no consequence. In contrast, if the transmission probability is very high, males are likely to be infected regardless of their attractiveness, and mating with the most attractive males imposes again no extra cost for the female. We also show that optimal female responses to the risk of STDs can buffer the prevalence of infection to remain constant, or even decrease, with increasing per contact transmission probabilities. In all cases considered, the feedback between mate choice strategies and STD prevalence creates frequency-dependent fitness benefits for the two alternative female phenotypes considered (choosy vs. randomly mating females or faithful vs. unfaithful females). This maintains mixed evolutionarily stable strategies or polymorphisms in female behavior. In this way, a sexually transmitted disease can stabilize the populationwide proportion of females that mate with the most attractive males or that seek extrapair copulations. [source] Adolescent Sexuality and Parent-Adolescent Processes: Promoting Healthy Teen Choices,FAMILY RELATIONS, Issue 2 2000Laurie L. Meschke Trends in adolescent sexual health, the relation between parenting and adolescent sexual outcomes, and adolescent sexuality interventions with a parent component are reviewed. American adolescents have higher rates of unprotected sex and STI contraction than adults and nine times the teen pregnancy rate of their European counterparts. Parenting efforts are related to adolescent sexual behavior. The review of 19 relevant programs supports the incorporation of theory and the ecological model in program design and evaluation. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||