Oxytocin (OT) is a female hormone with the main function of facilitating uterine contraction and milk ejection. Recent studies show that OT is involved in multiple signaling pathways in the central and peripheral nerve system and mainly regulates the physiology and activity of reproduction, including male reproduction and sexual behavior. The roles of OT in penile erection are bio-phasic with proerectile effect in the central nerve system while peripherally inhibiting erection. OT also mediates ejaculation, post-ejaculatory detumescence and the post-orgasm refractory period. OT and OT-receptor in the central nerve system will be a new target in the drug development for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, while OT intracavernous injection promises to be an effective therapy for priapism. This review focuses on the effects of OT on male sexual activities.
Humans ; Male ; Oxytocin ; physiology ; Penile Erection ; Sexual Behavior

Nervous systems must not only generate specific adaptive behaviors, such as reproduction, aggression, feeding, and sleep, but also select a single behavior for execution at any given time, depending on both internal states and external environmental conditions. Despite their tremendous biological importance, the neural mechanisms of action selection remain poorly understood. In the past decade, studies in the model animal Drosophila melanogaster have demonstrated valuable neural mechanisms underlying action selection of innate behaviors. In this review, we summarize circuit mechanisms with a particular focus on a small number of sexually dimorphic neurons in controlling action selection among sex, fight, feeding, and sleep behaviors in both sexes of flies. We also discuss potentially conserved circuit configurations and neuromodulation of action selection in both the fly and mouse models, aiming to provide insights into action selection and the sexually dimorphic prioritization of innate behaviors.
Animals ; Mice ; Male ; Female ; Drosophila melanogaster/physiology* ; Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology* ; Instinct ; Neurons/physiology* ; Aggression/physiology*

Human sexuality has both its sociological nature and biological nature. Advances in molecular biology has unveiled almost all the biological mysteries of human sexuality. However, many problems in the psychological and sociological aspects have not yet been thoroughly studied. As a matter of fact, these psychological and sociological factors have much influence on sexuality than those biological ones. This paper briefly introduces some factors affecting male sexual psychology, including masturbation and other common sexual psychological dysfunctions.
Humans ; Male ; Masturbation ; psychology ; Sexual Behavior ; physiology ; psychology ; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological

Females increase aggression for mating opportunities and for acquiring reproductive resources. Although the close relationship between female aggression and mating status is widely appreciated, whether and how female aggression is regulated by mating-related cues remains poorly understood. Here we report an interesting observation that Drosophila virgin females initiate high-frequency attacks toward mated females. We identify 11-cis-vaccenyl acetate (cVA), a male-derived pheromone transferred to females during mating, which promotes virgin female aggression. We subsequently reveal a cVA-responsive neural circuit consisting of four orders of neurons, including Or67d, DA1, aSP-g, and pC1 neurons, that mediate cVA-induced virgin female aggression. We also determine that aSP-g neurons release acetylcholine (ACh) to excite pC1 neurons via the nicotinic ACh receptor nAChRα7. Together, beyond revealing cVA as a mating-related inducer of virgin female aggression, our results identify a neural circuit linking the chemosensory perception of mating-related cues to aggressive behavior in Drosophila females.
Animals ; Male ; Female ; Drosophila/physiology* ; Drosophila Proteins/physiology* ; Cues ; Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology* ; Aggression/physiology* ; Drosophila melanogaster/physiology*

Female sexual dysfunction(FSD) is an age-related progressive disease and may affect up to half of adult women. It has not been paid attention to for a long time. This paper reviews the current information on the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of FSD. In addition the diagnosis and treatment of FSD are also described. It aims at improving the knowledge of FSD.
Female ; Genitalia, Female ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Sexual Behavior ; physiology ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy

Androgens, the male sex hormones, play an essential role in male sexual differentiation and development. However, the influence of these sex hormones extends beyond their roles in sexual differentiation and development. In many animal species, sex hormones have been shown to be essential for sexual differentiation of the brain during development and for maintaining sexually dimorphic behavior throughout life. The principals of sex determination in humans have been demonstrated to be similar to other mammals. However, the hormonal influence on sexual dimorphic differences in the nervous system in humans, sex differences in behaviors, and its correlations with those of other mammals is still an emerging field. In this review, the roles of androgens in gender and cognitive function are discussed with the emphasis on subjects with androgen action defects including complete androgen insensitivity due to androgen receptor mutations and 5alpha-reductase-2 deficiency syndromes due to 5alpha-reductase-2 gene mutations. The issue of the complex interaction of nature versus nurture is addressed.
Androgens ; physiology ; Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase ; deficiency ; genetics ; Cognition ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Sex Characteristics ; Sexual Behavior ; physiology ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo observe the change of sexual function in male kidney transplant recipients.

METHODSSixty married males, aged 26 to 45 years, who had received kidney transplantations at least half a year before and whose serum creatinine (Scr) was under 200 mumol/L, were selected randomly in the study. Sexual functions were reviewed before and after the patients' renal failure and after kidney transplantations. The results were analyzed in Chi-Square test methods.

RESULTSTheir sexual functions, significantly aggravated after renal failure, were improved after kidney transplantations, but failed to return to normal. The recipients had a common worry that their sex lives might affect the renal grafts.

CONCLUSIONSKidney transplantations significantly improve the sexual functions of these renal failure patients. It is quite necessary to provide sexological guidance to kidney transplant recipients and their spouses.

Adult ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; physiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Sexual Behavior

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of surgical repair of pelvic organ prolapse on female sexual function and to assess correlations between the two using two current standardized questionnaires. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2009 to September 2010, 143 patients with posterior compartment or combined vaginal prolapse were included. We assessed surgical outcomes according to anatomical change in the vagina and results of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Function questionnaire (PISQ-12) both pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: Among the 143 preoperative patients, 99 and 84 patients responded to the PISQ-12 and FSFI, respectively. The mean PISQ-12 score increased after surgery (p<0.001). Specifically, postoperative scores for questions 8 and 12 were higher than their respective preoperative scores (p<0.001). Postoperatively, mean FSFI score changed only slightly (p=0.76), and only the score for the satisfaction domain was improved (p=0.023). In regards to vaginal anatomy, vaginal length was significantly greater postoperatively (6.99+/-0.18 vs. 7.56+/-1.08, p<0.001), and postoperative vaginal caliber was narrowed to a two-finger width. CONCLUSION: In this study, surgery for pelvic organ prolapse was shown to affect female sexual function. Moreover, menopause was associated with a change in postoperative sexual function.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse/*physiopathology/*surgery ; Questionnaires ; Sexual Behavior/*physiology

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the status of pre-marital reproductive health education, sexual psychology behavior, contraception and pre-marital abortion in unmarried young men to get the correct way for pre-marital guidence and education.

METHODSThe survey adopted the society-psychology-behavior methodology. Five hundred and ten objects who had pre-marital sexual living history were investigated randomly.

RESULTSThe reasons of making sexual pre-marital relations were thinking marriage and curiosity. 81.2% of them thought the best way of contraception is to use the condom. 34.8% of them used the prevenception when they had the first sexual experience. 39.7% of the objects adopted contraceptions every time, and 27.1% of the objects made the women pregnancy which resulted 22.4% women using the IUD for contraception. 63.6% of them thought the main reason of not using contraception was the fear to get trouble. The main source of contraceptives was pharmacy (59.8%).

CONCLUSIONSThis survey suggested that the prevalence of pre-marital sexual behavior is relatively high in Changshu. It should be taken several methods to give unmarried young men the reproductibe education.

Adult ; China ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Psychology, Social ; Reproductive Medicine ; Sexual Behavior ; physiology ; Single Person

OBJECTIVETo understand the sexual physiology and psychology of male college students and to provide schools, families and the society with reference for the sexual physiological and psychological education among college students as well as for the diagnosis and treatment of their sexual psychological disorders in Jiangsu.

METHODSAn investigation was conducted by using a questionnaire on sexual physiology and psychology among randomly selected 3786 male college students from 18 universities in Jiangsu.

RESULTSAs regards sexual education, 5.49% of the subjects were satisfied with their schools, 78.18% wanted it to be strengthened and 68.36% obtained their sexual knowledge from the internet. Concerning sexual physiology, 68.78% experienced their first spermatorrhea at the age of 12-15. As for sexual psychology, 85.79% loved a certain female inwardly, and 70.99% experienced love affairs. With regard to sexual activity, 25.54% had sexual experience.

CONCLUSIONCollege students nowadays are relatively open in sexual ideology, immature in sexual psychology and lacking in sexual knowledge, while schools are inefficient in sexual education. Their sexual health calls for joint attention from schools, families and the society, particularly schools, which need to establish special offices for research and education on sexual health.

China ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Sexual Behavior ; physiology ; psychology ; Students ; psychology ; Universities ; Young Adult