BioPsychology CHAPTER 13 -- "Hormones & Sex"

Know the different ways that hormones influence sex (Developmental & activational effects). Neuroendocrine system: Know the types of glands, the important endocrine glands, the gonads, the sex chromosomes, the different classes of hormones, the sex hormones, and the hormones of the pituitary. Know what is meant by cyclic vs. steady hormone levels, and how this differs in the sexes. Know the role of the pituitary, what area of the brain has neural control of the pituitary, and how control differs for the two parts (anterior & posterior pituitary- see Fig. 13.4). Know what hypothalamic releasing hormones are. Understand and be able to explain the different types of signals that regulate hormone levels. Be able to explain the summary model (see Fig 13.5). Know what pulsatile hormone release refers to and what the consequences are. Hormones & sexual development of the body: Know the basics about fetal hormones and development of gonads and internal reproductive tracts, as well as hormones and development of secondary sex characteristics during puberty. Sex differences of the brain: Know that there are structural and functional differences in the brains of males and females; Know Pfieffers studies of sex differences; Be able to explain the aromatization hypothesis and evidence of estrodial masculinizing the brain in males, how alpha fetoprotein protects female brains, and modern perspectives on sexual differentiation of the brain (particularly in humans). Sex differences in behavior: Be able to explain studies of perinatal hormones and behavioral development in rodents. Know the following related terms: masculinze, defeminize, feminize, demasculinize, proceptive behaviors, and lordosis. Be able to discuss the role of testosterone in human adult male reproduction-related behavior. Be able to discuss female reproduction-related behavior & gonadal hormones and human female sexual motivation.

Know the neuroprotective effects of estradiol (text).

Neural mechanisms of sexual behavior: Be able to discuss the structural differences between the male and female hypothalamus. Know what the SDN and VMN areas are. Be able to discuss the hypothalamus in male sexual behavior and in female sexual behavior.