title: Development of a sexually differentiated behavior and its underlying CNS arousal functions.
abstract: This chapter addresses questions regarding lordosis behavior, the most extremely sexually differentiated behavior that has been analyzed for its neural and molecular mechanisms. Analysis of this behavior has proved for the first time that specific biochemical reactions in specific nerve cell groups in the brain determine a mammalian behavior. Lordosis is done by the female but not by the male. How did the process of sexual differentiation occur? A large literature implicates high levels of testosterone during a critical period during development as being responsible for the defeminization of the brain. A new idea, however, offers the possibility of direct genetic influences independent of testosterone levels themselves. We propose here that Mullerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS) and its receptors could constitute an example of a nonandrogenic genetic influence. Further, specific sexual behaviors depend on underlying arousal states in the central nervous system (CNS). We have proposed the concept of generalized CNS arousal and provide information as to how generalized arousal forces interact with specifically sexual influences, thus to facilitate sexually differentiated mating behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Lee-Ming
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kow
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Florea
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwanzel-Fukuda
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Devidze
authors.forename: Hosein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kami Kia
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maclaughlin
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Donahoe
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pfaff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008141:Lordosis; D018000:Receptors, Peptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D012733:Sex Differentiation; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018000:Receptors, Peptide; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; C084621:anti-Mullerian hormone receptor