Sexual Behavior in Males From a Neuroendocrine Perspective

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Balthazart ◽  
Gregory F. Ball
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Behavioral Activity ◽  
Inactive Compound ◽  
Male Sexual Behavior ◽  
Brain Aromatase ◽  
Rapid Changes ◽  
Androgenic Steroids ◽  
Time Frames

It is well established that testosterone from testicular origin plays a critical role in the activation of male sexual behavior in most, if not all, vertebrate species. These effects take place to a large extent in the preoptic area although other brain sites are obviously also implicated. In its target areas, testosterone is actively metabolized either into estrogenic and androgenic steroids that have specific behavioral effects or into inactive metabolites. These transformations either amplify the behavioral activity of testosterone or, alternatively, metabolism to an inactive compound dissipates any biological effect. Androgens and estrogens then bind to nuclear receptors that modulate the transcription of specific genes. This process is controlled by a variety of co-activators and co-repressors that, respectively, enhance or inhibit these transcriptional processes. In addition, recent work has shown that the production of estrogens by brain aromatase can be modulated within minutes by changes in neural activity and that these rapid changes in neuroestrogen production impact sexual behavior, in particular sexual motivation within the same time frame. Estrogens thus affect specific aspects of male sexual behavior in two different time frames via two types of mechanisms that are completely different. Multiple questions remain open concerning the cellular brain mechanisms that mediate testosterone action on male sexual behavior.

Effects of a novel partner and sexual satiety on the expression of male sexual behavior and brain aromatase activity in quail

2019 ◽  
Vol 359 ◽  
pp. 502-515
Author(s):  
Catherine de Bournonville ◽  
Mélanie Schmit ◽  
Maxim Telle ◽  
Lucas Court ◽  
Gregory F. Ball ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Aromatase Activity ◽  
Male Sexual Behavior ◽  
Brain Aromatase

scholarly journals Brain Aromatase and the Regulation of Sexual Activity in Male Mice

Endocrinology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 161 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
David C Brooks ◽  
John S Coon V ◽  
Cihangir M Ercan ◽  
Xia Xu ◽  
Hongxin Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Sexual Activity ◽  
Adult Brain ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Negative Feedback Regulation ◽  
Male Sexual Behavior ◽  
Brain Physiology ◽  
Brain Aromatase ◽  
The Brain

Abstract The biologically active estrogen estradiol has important roles in adult brain physiology and sexual behavior. A single gene, Cyp19a1, encodes aromatase, the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of testosterone to estradiol in the testis and brain of male mice. Estradiol formation was shown to regulate sexual activity in various species, but the relative contributions to sexual behavior of estrogen that arises in the brain versus from the gonads remained unclear. To determine the role of brain aromatase in regulating male sexual activity, we generated a brain-specific aromatase knockout (bArKO) mouse. A newly generated whole-body total aromatase knockout mouse of the same genetic background served as a positive control. Here we demonstrate that local aromatase expression and estrogen production in the brain is partially required for male sexual behavior and sex hormone homeostasis. Male bArKO mice exhibited decreased sexual activity in the presence of strikingly elevated circulating testosterone. In castrated adult bArKO mice, administration of testosterone only partially restored sexual behavior; full sexual behavior, however, was achieved only when both estradiol and testosterone were administered together. Thus, aromatase in the brain is, in part, necessary for testosterone-dependent male sexual activity. We also found that brain aromatase is required for negative feedback regulation of circulating testosterone of testicular origin. Our findings suggest testosterone activates male sexual behavior in part via conversion to estradiol in the brain. These studies provide foundational evidence that sexual behavior may be modified through inhibition or enhancement of brain aromatase enzyme activity and/or utilization of selective estrogen receptor modulators.

scholarly journals Rapid changes in brain estrogen concentration during male sexual behavior are site and stimulus specific

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Pierre de Bournonville ◽  
Catherine de Bournonville ◽  
Laura M. Vandries ◽  
Gwenaël Nys ◽  
Marianne Fillet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
In Vivo Microdialysis ◽  
Aromatase Activity ◽  
Sexual Interaction ◽  
Bed Nucleus ◽  
Male Sexual Behavior ◽  
Sexual Stimuli ◽  
Vertebrate Brain ◽  
Rapid Changes

AbstractClassically, estrogens regulate male sexual behavior through effects initiated in the nucleus. However, neuroestrogens, i.e., estrogens locally produced in the brain, can act within minutes via membrane-initiated events. In male quail, rapid changes in brain aromatase activity occur after exposure to sexual stimuli. We report here that local extracellular estrogen concentrations measured by in vivo microdialysis increase during sexual interactions in a brain site- and stimulus-specific manner. Indeed, estrogen concentrations rose within 10 min of the initiation of sexual interaction with a female in the medial preoptic nucleus only, while visual access to a female led to an increase in estrogen concentrations only in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. These are the fastest fluctuations in local estrogen concentrations ever observed in the vertebrate brain. Their site and stimulus specificity strongly confirm the neuromodulatory function of neuroestrogens on behavior.

scholarly journals OR09-03 Brain Aromatase Is Essential for Regulation of Sexual Activity in Male Mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David C Brooks ◽  
Hong Zhao ◽  
John Coon V ◽  
C Mutlu Ercan ◽  
Hongxin Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Sexual Activity ◽  
Sex Hormone ◽  
Splice Acceptor Site ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Male Sexual Behavior ◽  
Estrogen Production ◽  
Brain Aromatase ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Introduction: The biologically active form of estrogen, estradiol (E2), has important organizational roles in brain development and activational roles in adult brain physiology and behavior. It has been proposed that E2 formation in the brain might regulate sexual activity in various species. The mechanisms that link estrogen formation in the brain and sexual behavior, however, remain unclear. Aromatase is the key enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of testosterone (T) to E2 in the testis and brain of male mice. To determine the role of brain aromatase in male sexual activity, we generated a brain-specific aromatase knockout (bArKO) mouse model. Additionally, a newly generated total aromatase knockout (tArKO) mouse model served as a positive control. Methods: We generated the floxed aromatase mice (Aromfl/fl), which flanked the transcription and translation start sites and the common splice acceptor site for the upstream brain promoter I.f of the aromatase gene. We then crossed Nestin-Cre mice with Aromfl/fl mice to generate bArKO mice. Using the same Aromfl/fl mice, we bred tArKO via crossing with ZP3-Cre mice. Circulating and tissue (brain and testis) E2 levels were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We assessed sexual activity in 12-14 week-old bArKO, tArKO and littermate control males over two 30-minute trials. The interactions were monitored and videotaped, and the videotape was scored for the sexual activity. To investigate whether the lack of estrogen production in the brain was causative for altered sexual behavior, 20 bArKO and 20 control mice were castrated at ~nine weeks of age and supplemented with exogenous sex hormone via 60-day time release pellet implantation. Results: E2 levels are significantly decreased in the brain but not the testis of bArKO mice as compared to control mice (P < 0.05, n=6-12). As expected, E2 levels in the brain and testis are significantly lower in tArKO mice compared with their WT littermates (n=6-9). Furthermore, we demonstrate that local aromatase expression and estrogen production in the brain is required for male sexual behavior and sex hormone homeostasis. Male bArKO mice exhibited significantly decreased sexual activity in the presence of strikingly elevated circulating T (n=5). In castrated adult bArKO mice, administration of E2 together with T restored maximum sexual behavior (n=5). Thus, aromatase in the brain is necessary for T-dependent male sexual activity. We also found that brain aromatase is required for negative feedback regulation of circulating T of testicular origin. Conclusion: Our findings suggest T activates male sexual behavior in part via conversion to E2 in the brain and provide the foundation for inhibition or enhancement of brain aromatase enzyme activity and/or utilization of selective estrogen receptor modulators in modifying sexual behavior. DCB and HZ contributed equally to this work.

Critical role of androgen receptor in the postnatal period in male sexual behavior in rats

2015 ◽  
Vol 609 ◽  
pp. 189-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shunji Yamada ◽  
Miku Ohoya ◽  
Keiko Takanami ◽  
Ken Ichi Matsuda ◽  
Mitsuhiro Kawata
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Androgen Receptor ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Postnatal Period ◽  
Male Sexual Behavior

Effects of Momentary Affect on Satisfaction Judgments

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-67
Author(s):  
Marko Tončić ◽  
Petra Anić
Keyword(s):  
Linear Models ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Hierarchical Linear Models ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Positive And Negative Affect ◽  
Transient Events ◽  
Time Frames ◽  
Events Data ◽  
Level Satisfaction ◽  
Source Of Information

Abstract. This study aims to examine the effect of affect on satisfaction, both at the between- and the within-person level for momentary assessments. Affect is regarded as an important source of information for life satisfaction judgments. This affective effect on satisfaction is well established at the dispositional level, while at the within-person level it is heavily under-researched. This is true especially for momentary assessments. In this experience sampling study both mood and satisfaction scales were administered five times a day for 7 days via hand-held devices ( N = 74 with 2,122 assessments). Several hierarchical linear models were fitted to the data. Even though the amount of between-person variance was relatively low, both positive and negative affect had substantial effects on momentary satisfaction on the between- and the within-person level as well. The within-person effects of affect on satisfaction appear to be more pronounced than the between-person ones. At the momentary level, the amount of between-person variance is lower than in studies with longer time-frames. The affect-related effects on satisfaction possibly have a curvilinear relationship with the time-frame used, increasing in intensity up to a point and then decreasing again. Such a relationship suggests that, at the momentary level, satisfaction might behave in a more stochastic manner, allowing for transient events/data which are not necessarily affect-related to affect it.

scholarly journals A Volatility Estimator of Stock Market Indices Based on the Intrinsic Entropy Model

Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 484
Author(s):  
Claudiu Vințe ◽  
Marcel Ausloos ◽  
Titus Felix Furtună
Keyword(s):  
Stock Market ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Entropy Model ◽  
Daily Data ◽  
Volatility Models ◽  
Derivative Instruments ◽  
Securities Industry ◽  
Time Frames ◽  
Financial Securities

Grasping the historical volatility of stock market indices and accurately estimating are two of the major focuses of those involved in the financial securities industry and derivative instruments pricing. This paper presents the results of employing the intrinsic entropy model as a substitute for estimating the volatility of stock market indices. Diverging from the widely used volatility models that take into account only the elements related to the traded prices, namely the open, high, low, and close prices of a trading day (OHLC), the intrinsic entropy model takes into account the traded volumes during the considered time frame as well. We adjust the intraday intrinsic entropy model that we introduced earlier for exchange-traded securities in order to connect daily OHLC prices with the ratio of the corresponding daily volume to the overall volume traded in the considered period. The intrinsic entropy model conceptualizes this ratio as entropic probability or market credence assigned to the corresponding price level. The intrinsic entropy is computed using historical daily data for traded market indices (S&P 500, Dow 30, NYSE Composite, NASDAQ Composite, Nikkei 225, and Hang Seng Index). We compare the results produced by the intrinsic entropy model with the volatility estimates obtained for the same data sets using widely employed industry volatility estimators. The intrinsic entropy model proves to consistently deliver reliable estimates for various time frames while showing peculiarly high values for the coefficient of variation, with the estimates falling in a significantly lower interval range compared with those provided by the other advanced volatility estimators.

“The surprise questions” using variable time frames in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Sun Hyun Kim ◽  
Sang-Yeon Suh ◽  
Seok Joon Yoon ◽  
Jeanno Park ◽  
Yu Jung Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Hospitalized Patients ◽  
Advanced Cancer Patients ◽  
Multicenter Cohort Study ◽  
Prediction Of Survival ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Surprise Question ◽  
Time Frames

Abstract Objective Several studies supported the usefulness of “the surprise question” in terms of 1-year mortality of patients. “The surprise question” requires a “Yes” or “No” answer to the question “Would I be surprised if this patient died in [specific time frame].” However, the 1-year time frame is often too long for advanced cancer patients seen by palliative care personnel. “The surprise question” with shorter time frames is needed for decision making. We examined the accuracy of “the surprise question” for 7-day, 21-day, and 42-day survival in hospitalized patients admitted to palliative care units (PCUs). Method This was a prospective multicenter cohort study of 130 adult patients with advanced cancer admitted to 7 hospital-based PCUs in South Korea. The accuracy of “the surprise question” was compared with that of the temporal question for clinician's prediction of survival. Results We analyzed 130 inpatients who died in PCUs during the study period. The median survival was 21.0 days. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy for the 7-day “the surprise question” were 46.7, 88.7, and 83.9%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy for the 7-day temporal question were 6.7, 98.3, and 87.7%, respectively. The c-indices of the 7-day “the surprise question” and 7-day temporal question were 0.662 (95% CI: 0.539–0.785) and 0.521 (95% CI: 0.464–0.579), respectively. The c-indices of the 42-day “the surprise question” and 42-day temporal question were 0.554 (95% CI: 0.509–0.599) and 0.616 (95% CI: 0.569–0.663), respectively. Significance of results Surprisingly, “the surprise questions” and temporal questions had similar accuracies. The high specificities for the 7-day “the surprise question” and 7- and 21-day temporal question suggest they may be useful to rule in death if positive.

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