Neural control of sexual

behavior

Prof . em. Yasmeiny Yazir

Bagian Fisiologi

Fakultas Kedokteran USU

Sexual behavior in animal involves

different brain mechanisms in
male & female.
Males;
Spinal mechanisms:
Some sexual responses are controlled
by neural circuits in the spinal cord, in
humans too, erection & ejaculation are
spinal reflexes.

Brain mechanisms
The medial preoptic area MPA MPA
(rostral to the hypothalamus) is the
forebrain region most critical for
male sexual behavior (also critical
for other sexually dimorphic
behavior, including maternal
behavior & territorial behavior).
The organizational effects of
androgens are responsible for sexual
dimorphisms in brain structure.

Females.
Most important forebrain region for
female sexual behavior: ventral
medial nucleus of the hypothalamus
(VMH).
Oestradiol & progesterone exert their
facilitating effects on female sexual
behavior in this region.

Parental behavior
Most research focused on maternal
behavior, but now some research are
studying paternal behavior too.
Human paternal behavior is very
important for the offspring of our
species, but the physiological basis of
this behavior has not yet been
studied.

Hormonal control of maternal

behavior
Hormones are not essential for the
activation of maternal behavior,
however many aspects of maternal
behavior are facilitated by hormones
(progesterone, prolactin)

Neural control of maternal behavior

The medial preoptic area, the region of the

forebrain that plays the most critical role in
male sexual behavior, appears to play a similar
role in maternal behavior.

Emotion.
Emotion as response patterns
3 types of components:
1. Behavioral muscular movement.
2. Autonomic facilitate the behavioral
response.
3. Hormonal reinforce the autonomic
response.

Components of
emotion are
controlled by
separate neural
systems.
Integration of these
neural systems are
controlled by the
amygdala

The amygdala is located within

the temporal lobes, consists of
several groups of nuclei, each
with different inputs & outputs,
& with different functions.
Major parts :
Medial nucleus.
Lateral/basolateral nucleus.
Central nucleus.
Basal nucleus.

Central nucleus of the

amygdala single most
important part of the brain.
For the expression of
emotional responses provoked
by aversive stimuli.

Research with humans:

Evidence indicates that the amygdala is
involved in emotional responses in
humans.
Lesion of the amygdala decrease peoples
emotional responses, interfere with the
effects or emotions on memory.
CCK has been implicated in fear & anxiety
and its site of implication appears to be
the amygdala.

Role of the neocortex

Humans are capable of reacting emotionally
to very complex situations, especially
those involving others people.
Analysis of social situations involves much
more than sensory analysis. It involves
experiences & memories, inferences &
judgment (the skills involved, include some
of the most complex ones we possess).
These skills are not located in any one part
of the cerebral cortex, although the right
hemisphere seems to be more important
than the left.

But one region of the brain; the orbitofrontal

cortex at the base of the frontal lobes plays a
special role.
Inputs: informations about what is happening in
the environment & what plans are being
made by the rest of the frontal lobes
Outputs: permit it to affect a variety of
behaviors & physiological responses
including emotional responses organized
by the amygdala.

The orbitofrontal cortex is not necessary for

making judgments about the personal
significance of particular situations, but it
appears to be necessary for translating these
judgments into emotional responses &
actions.