Nervous Pathway Eliciting Reproductive Behaviour - Anatomy & Physiology
Revision as of 11:51, 15 July 2008 by Lwilkie (talk | contribs) (→Generic Neural Pathway for Sexual Behaviour)
Sensitization
- Reproductive behaviour can only take place if the neurons in the hypothalamus have been sensitized to respond to sensory signals.
Male
- Testosterone is aromatized to oestradiol in the brain. Oestradiol promotes reproductive behaviour.
- Testosterone is produced in small episodes every 4-6 hours.
- Relatively constant supply of testosterone, thus oestradiol, to the hypothalamus in the male.
- This allows the male to initiate reproductive behaviour at any time.
Female
- Only experiences high oestradiol during the follicular phase.
- Will only display sexual receptivity during oestrus.
Generic Neural Pathway for Sexual Behaviour
- Under the influence of oestrogen, sensory inputs such as olfaction, audition, vision and tactility send neural messages to the hypothalamus .