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PubMed2003

Effects of prenatal hydrocortisone acetate exposure on fertility and sexual behavior in male rats.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of hydrocortisone during the prenatal period and its later repercussions on the fertility and sexual behavior of male rats. Pregnant rats were treated (s.c.) with hydrocortisone acetate, at 1.5 mg/day on the 17th, 18th, and 19th days of gestation. Decreased body weight and no alteration in anogenital distance were observed in male offspring. Adulthood, presented reductions of body weight, plasma testosterone levels, and seminal-vesicle wet weight without secretion as well as no alteration in the wet weights of the testes, epididymis, and seminal vesicle with secretion in the treated group. Males exposed to hydrocortisone during the prenatal period were able to mate with normal females, which became pregnant but exhibited an increased number of post-implantation losses. In spite of this, these treated males exhibited decreased male sexual behavior and the appearance of female sexual behavior after these male rats were castrated and pretreated with exogenous estrogen. These results indicate that exposure to hydrocortisone in the later stages of pregnancy may have a long-term effect on the fertility and sexual behavior of male rats, suggesting an incomplete masculinization and defeminization of the central nervous system.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

The search for social validation and the sexual behavior of people living with HIV in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: understanding the role of treatment optimism in context.

The primary aim of this qualitative study was to explore the influence of HIV treatment optimism on the sexual behavior of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) receiving highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) at public health clinics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We also explored the psycho-social dynamics of participants' sexual relationships in order to understand more broadly how these factors influence the sexual behavior of PLWHA and how they shape HAART-related beliefs. Twenty-three semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with three groups: heterosexual women, heterosexual men and men who have sex with men living with HIV who reported being sexually active in the last year and were currently receiving HAART. We found that the availability of HAART was conceptualized as a rationale for unsafe sex among a minority of study participants and that this was more common among men than among women. Specific examples of treatment optimism appeared to be employed as a means to avoid acknowledging how deeper psychosocial issues may have been influencing participant's sexual behavior. Most participants' sexual behavior appeared largely to be a product of their desire for social validation and linked to feelings of shame and denial, including but not limited to HIV. Participants from all three groups expressed a considerable amount of fear and/or anxiety regarding behaviors such as disclosure and condom use as a result of the unexplored conflict between implementing these behaviors and continuing with their strategies for social validation within the context of their sexual relationships. We conclude that short-term information, education and communication interventions surrounding treatment optimism, disclosure and condom use are appropriate and necessary; but that they are not sufficient to address the core challenges to unsafe sex among PLHWA. These deep-rooted psychosocial issues may be better addressed by longer-term individual and group-level opportunities for exploration and critical reflection regarding sense of self and its relationship to social solidarity among PLWHA.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Sexual behavior in lesbian and heterosexual women: relations with menstrual cycle phase and partner availability.

Using a prospective design over three complete menstrual cycles, 147 heterosexual and 89 lesbian women made daily recordings of their basal body temperature (BBT), cervical mucus status, menses, and completed a daily checklist of various sexual behaviors (including sexual self-stimulation and sexual activity with a partner). They also gave their age, height, weight, age at menarche, number of pregnancies, duration of sleep, tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol use, and whether they had a live-in sexual partner. Using BBT, cervical mucus status, and menses information, cycle days were grouped into five discrete phases: menses, follicular, ovulatory, early luteal, and premenstrual. Daily frequencies of sexual behavior with a partner and autosexual behavior were computed for each phase. Mixed ANOVAs on the resultant proportional data revealed similar patterns for autosexual behavior across the phases for both heterosexuals and lesbians who did not have a live-in partner, in which autosexual behavior was highest during the follicular and ovulatory phases. For those with live-in partners, autosexual behavior did not vary across the phases. Lesbians engaged in more autosexual behavior overall. Allosexual behavior peaked during the follicular phase for both heterosexuals and lesbians, and the phasic pattern was unrelated to live-in partner status. Additional analyses suggest that the observed patterns were unrelated to anticipated changes in sexual activity due to menses. Results are discussed in terms of social variables and hormonal fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1986

Extraversion, neuroticism, and sexual behavior: interrelationships in a sample of young men.

In his theory on sexuality and personality Eysenck proposed a positive correlation between extraversion and intensified sexual behavior and between neuroticism and problems in sexual behavior. An earlier study with married persons did not show any of these correlations. It was hypothesized that this connection exists only for unmarried persons who are not engaged in long-lasting relationships, because in the latter the quality of the relationship determines the sexual interaction. Within a sample of young unmarried men there was a positive correlation between extraversion and items in which the person described earlier sexual activity with more persons and in higher frequency. No correlation was found with neuroticism. There were also slight correlations with other personality and social attitude scales. Because of the correlation with an acting-out personality scale, the findings were interpreted from a social-psychological perspective. In our culture the young male is expected to take the initiative in sexual interaction which the extraverted young male can realize better than one who is introverted.

Acting Out↗

PubMed1991

Effects of in ovo estradiol benzoate treatments on sexual behavior and size of neurons in the sexually dimorphic medial preoptic nucleus of Japanese quail.

In male Japanese quail, the injection of estradiol benzoate (EB) in the egg causes a complete loss of the testosterone (T)-induced copulatory behavior (behavioral demasculinization). This treatment is only effective if performed before day 12 of incubation. This suggests that embryonic estrogens affect in a permanent way brain structures controlling sexual behavior. The medial preoptic nucleus (POM) is the only sexually dimorphic brain nucleus identified in quail and it is a key center for the action of T on behavior. Recent morphometric studies revealed that the dorsolateral population of neurons in the POM is sensitive to variations of plasma T levels in adult males but not in females. These effects are not observed in the medial part of the POM. This sexually differentiated feature might therefore be organized by the embryonic hormonal environment. Quail embryos of both sexes were treated with EB or received a control injection either on day 9 or on day 14 of egg incubation and the cell size in the dorsolateral and medial POM was evaluated by classical morphometric techniques. EB treatment on day 9 decreased cell size in the dorsolateral POM neurons of males but had no effect in females. No effect was also observed when the treatment was performed on day 14. The medial POM neurons were not affected. The decrease in neuronal size observed in the dorsolateral POM of males treated with EB on day 9 was correlated with their behavioral demasculinization. Some of these males showed a weak sexual behavior during the tests and in parallel had significantly larger neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1967

Hormone-mediated nutritional control of sexual behavior in male dung flies.

Male Scatophaga stercoraria must prey on other Diptera before they display sexual behavior, develop the accessory cells of their ejaculatory ducts, and achieve full elongation of the testes. The corpus allatum also becomes enlarged after predation and is necessary for the onset of sexual behavior and development of reproductive organs. The complex diet consumed during predation apparently activates the corpus allatum, and the hormone released acts independently on organ growth and sexual behavior.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

PubMed2004

Illicit drug use and risky sexual behavior among African American and Puerto Rican urban adolescents: the longitudinal links.

The authors assessed whether (a) early illicit drug use predicted later risky sexual activity, (b) early risky sex predicted later illicit drug use, and (c) common factors affected both risky sexual behavior and illicit drug use. African American and Puerto Rican youth completed questionnaires in their classrooms at Time 1 (T1) and face-to-face interviews with the authors in their homes 5 years later at Time 2 (T2). Logistic regression analyses showed the association between T1 illicit drug use and T2 risky sexual activity and between T1 risky sexual behavior and T2 illicit drug use. With few exceptions, T1 illicit drug use was associated with all of the T2 risky sexual behaviors. After controlling for demographic factors, the authors found that multiple sex partners at T1 was not related to illicit drug use at T2. Condom use at T1 was related to illicit drug use at T2, whereas sexually transmitted diseases and adolescent pregnancy were not related to this drug use. The findings indicated that assessments of and treatments for substance use should focus on the risky sexual behaviors that seem to accompany illicit drug use.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A social episode model of human sexual behavior.

A social episode model of sexual behavior is proposed with emphasis placed on arousal as a crucial variable. This model argues against a disease or deficiency concept of homosexuality. However, the authors also hold that it may be coercive to push clients to accept their homosexuality, and that a therapist should adequately respond to a valid sexual orientation request. The social-sexual episode is divided into two relatively independent stages, preparatory and consummatory. A mathematical analysis is included, and the model is related to Freeman and Meyer (1975) wherein changes in sexual preferences were successfully made. Other validation sources for the model are presented.

Arousal↗

PubMed2005

Influence of physical attractiveness and alcohol on men's perceptions of potential sexual partners and sexual behavior intentions.

The current research presents the results of 2 related experimental studies designed to evaluate the influence of physical attractiveness and a moderate dose of alcohol on men's perceptions of potential sexual partners and sexual behavior intentions. Analyses revealed significant effects of physical attractiveness on partner perceptions and sexual behavior intentions. Although no main effects of alcohol were observed, alcohol differentially moderated the relations between perceived risk and sexual behavior intentions by limb of absorption. Results suggest that greater attention should be focused on identifying the specific physical characteristics of a potential sexual partner--beyond attractiveness--that influence perceptions of risk and intentions to engage in safer sex behaviors and highlight the importance of assessing limb of absorption in evaluating the complex association between alcohol and risky sexual behavior.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Intoxication before intercourse and risky sexual behavior in male veterans with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection.

BACKGROUND: Male veterans represent a large population at risk for acquiring or transmitting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We sought to determine the prevalence of risky sexual behavior among veterans with and without HIV infection and to assess the relationship of intoxication before intercourse and other measures of drug and alcohol use to risky sexual behavior in this population. METHODS: We analyzed baseline data on 1009 HIV-positive (mean age 49 years) and 710 HIV-negative male veterans (mean age 55 years) who were participating in the Veterans Aging Cohort 5-Site Study (VACS 5). Participants completed a written questionnaire that included measures of alcohol and drug use and risky sexual behavior. RESULTS: Compared with HIV-negative veterans, HIV-positive veterans were more likely to report 5 or more sexual partners in the past year (14% vs. 4%, P < 0.01), less likely to report not using a condom at last intercourse (25% vs. 75%, P < 0.01), and similarly likely to report having 2 or more partners and inconsistent condom use (10% vs. 10%). Among sexually active HIV-positive veterans, intoxication before intercourse was significantly associated with having 5 or more sexual partners in the past year (odds ratio [OR] 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-2.8), inconsistent condom use (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7), and the combined measure of 2 or more partners and inconsistent condom use (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-3.0). Intoxication before intercourse was not significantly associated with these behaviors in HIV-negative veterans, although similar trends were noted. CONCLUSION: Risky sexual behavior was common among male veterans attending outpatient clinics and is more common among HIV-positive veterans who use alcohol and drugs in sexual situations. Asking HIV-positive men a single question about intoxication before intercourse could help to identify men at increased risk of engaging in risky sexual behavior, and specific advice to avoid intoxication in sexual situations could help to reduce risky sexual behavior.

Cohort Studies↗

PubMed1997

Leptin facilitates and inhibits sexual behavior in female hamsters.

Food deprivation decreases fertility in female mammals in part by inhibiting sexual behaviors. Genetically obese ob/ob mice, like food-deprived wild-type animals, are also infertile; treatment of ob/ob mice with leptin, the adipocyte-derived protein that they lack, corrects some of their reproductive deficiencies. We tested the hypothesis that leptin treatment would prevent the suppression of sexual receptivity that is caused by food deprivation in female Syrian hamsters. Instead, we found that treatment with murine leptin facilitated female sexual behavior in ad libitum-fed hamsters, but not in food-deprived animals. In food-deprived hamsters, leptin treatment actually intensified the inhibition of lordosis. Food deprivation decreased detectable estrogen receptor immunoreactivity (ERIR) in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), but the leptin-induced changes in female sexual behavior were not accompanied by parallel changes in VMH ERIR. Thus leptin facilitates estrous behavior in hamsters, but it does not overcome the lordosis-inhibiting metabolic cues produced by acute food deprivation. Because circulating leptin levels are directly related to body fat content, an implication of these findings is that elevated levels of adipose tissue could have a positive influence on sexual responsiveness.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1996

Sexual behavioral changes in Alzheimer disease.

The frequency and correlates of sexual behavioral changes in Alzheimer disease (AD) were assessed in two studies. In the first study, we reviewed the medical records of 135 consecutive community-living patients who fit the criteria of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke/Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders Association for probable or possible AD, and we asked spouses to complete a questionnaire that included two questions about sexual activity. Indifference to sexual activity was reported by 70% of the spouses, and sexual behavioral modifications were reported by 50%. No correlation was found between sexual changes and the general characteristics of the patients, the severity of the disease, or depressive symptomatology. Sexual changes were correlated to the severity of behavioral and mood disorders, mainly to a reduction of activity and emotional deficit. Seventy-seven of the patients had a second examination after an interval of 18.9 +/- 9.9 months. The links between sexual changes and the other variables were similar to those found by the first examination. In the second study, a questionnaire was sent by mail to the spouses of 100 patients. No relationship was found between sexual changes and the severity of cognitive deficits, previous sexual agreement, age, or gender. Sexual changes were considered a factor of maladjustment for the couple by 46% of the spouses.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Can changes in sexual behaviors among high school students explain the decline in teen pregnancy rates in the 1990s?

PURPOSE: To explore the utility of using national data from high school students to explain changes in national declines in pregnancy rates. Although declines in teen pregnancy and birthrates in the 1990s have been welcome news to those interested in adolescent health and welfare, the reasons for these declines are not readily apparent. Previous attempts to explain these declines focused on the period before 1995 and did not directly calculate the impact of improved contraceptive use. METHODS: The national Youth Risk Behavior Survey provided estimates for sexual activity and contraceptive use among teens aged 15-17 years between 1991 and 2001 (n = 31,058). These data were combined with method-specific contraceptive failure rates (CFRs) derived from the 1988 and 1995 National Survey of Family Growth and pregnancy rates from the National Vital Statistics System. We calculated weighted-average CFRs (WACFR) and used the annual rate of change in the WACFR and sexual activity to estimate their relative contributions to the annual change in risk of pregnancy. Weighted least-squares regression in SUDAAN was used to test change over time. RESULTS: Between 1991 and 2001, annual rates of change in sexual behaviors were -1.7% for sexual experience and -1.6% for the WACFR. Improvements in WACFR resulted primarily from a decline in use of withdrawal (from 20% to 13%) and use of no method (from 17% to 13%) and an increase in condom use (40% to 51%). Recent sexual intercourse (i.e., intercourse during the past 3 months among teens who had ever had intercourse) did not change over time. The change in the estimated risk of pregnancy closely approximated the annual decline in the pregnancy rates for blacks and Hispanics but underestimated the actual decline for whites. Overall, 53% of the decline in pregnancy rates can be attributed to decreased sexual experience (95%CI 26% to 79%) and 47% to improved contraceptive use (95%CI 21% to 74%). CONCLUSIONS: Use of school-based behavior data reflects well the pregnancy experience for school-age black and Hispanic adolescents, but does not track well with the pregnancy risk of white adolescents. Care should be taken in attributing changes in pregnancy rates to changes in behavior, given broad confidence intervals around these estimates. These data suggest that both delayed initiation of sexual intercourse and improved contraceptive practice contributed equally to declines in pregnancy rates among high school-aged teens during the 1990s; however, estimates varied among racial and ethnic groups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

High-risk sexual behavior in Los Angeles: who receives testing for HIV?

No recent population-based data on HIV testing in people with high-risk sexual behavior are available. We sought predictors of testing using data from the 1997 Los Angeles County Health Survey, a random-digit telephone survey of 8004 county households. An estimated 2.3 million (35.5%) adults were tested for HIV in the past 2 years and approximately 370,000 (5.6%) engaged in high-risk sexual behavior (defined as having > or =2 partners in the past 12 months and not always using condoms). Among high-risk persons, an estimated 46% of heterosexual men, 56% of heterosexual women, and 72% of men who had sex with men (MSM) were tested for HIV. In a multivariable model of high-risk people, both heterosexual men (odds ratio [OR], 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.61) and women (OR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.19-0.87) had significantly lower proportions of testing than MSM. Although African Americans and Hispanics had significantly higher testing proportions than whites overall among all county residents, those reporting high-risk sexual behavior did not test at higher proportions. We conclude that the proportion of adults with high-risk sexual behavior tested for HIV is higher than almost a decade ago. However, testing among this group remains suboptimal. Future public health campaigns should intensify efforts to encourage HIV testing among this population.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

PubMed1992

Inhibitory effect of opiates on male rat sexual behavior may be mediated by opiate receptors outside the central nervous system.

The importance of opiate receptors outside the central nervous system for the inhibitory actions of morphine on male rat sexual behavior was evaluated. Morphine (10 mg/kg) produced an almost complete inhibition of sexual behavior. This inhibition was antagonized by naloxone at a dose of 1 mg/kg but not at a dose of 0.25 mg/kg. The quaternary opioid antagonist methylnaloxone effectively blocked the inhibitory actions of morphine at a dose of 20 mg/kg but not at a dose of 5 mg/kg. Since the affinity of methylnaloxone for opiate receptors is about 5% of that of naloxone, it may be concluded that both antagonists were about equally effective in inhibiting the effects of morphine. Furthermore, the opiate-like drug loperamide was found to inhibit sexual behavior. This drug acts mainly outside the central nervous system. Its effect was blocked by both naloxone and methylnaloxone, suggesting that opiate receptors are involved. It was also shown that methylnaloxone is unable to block the reinforcing effects of morphine in the conditioned place preference procedure. Because the reinforcing effects of opiates seem to be localized to the central nervous system, it may be proposed that methylnaloxone does not antagonize morphine's central effects. Moreover, loperamide had no effect in the place preference procedure, suggesting that this drug does not act at central opioid receptors. Taken together, these data show that peripheral opioid receptors are responsible for at least some of the inhibitory actions of morphine on male sexual behavior. After treatment with morphine + methylnaloxone, ejaculatory mechanisms were facilitated, reflected in a reduced number of preejaculatory intromissions and a shortened ejaculation latency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1981

Sexual behavior of castrated sex offenders.

Data are reported on the sexual behavior of 39 released sex offenders who agreed voluntarily to surgical castration while imprisoned in West Germany. Findings indicated that frequency of coitus, masturbation, and sexual thoughts are seen as strongly reduced after castration. Sexual desire and sexual arousability are perceived by the subjects as having been considerably impaired by castration. In comparison with other studies, however, it was shown that male sexual capacity was not extinguished soon after castration. Particularly noteworthy is that 11 of 35 castrates (31%) stated they were still able to engage in sexual intercourse. Rapists proved to be sexually more active after castration than homosexuals or pedophiliacs. There seems to be a strong effect on sexual behavior only if castration is performed on males between the age of 46 and 59 years. In general, the findings do not justify recommending surgical castration as a reliable treatment for incarcerated sex offenders.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Sexual behavior among university students in Nigera.

Sexual behavior patterns among Nigerian university students and factors influencing them were studied. While permarital cohabitation is common, a large percentage (48%) had their first coital experience between the ages of 22 and 27. Religion does not appear to have a strong inhibiting influence on premarital sex, although it does affect the frequency of changing partners. Contraceptives, although known to almost all the respondents, are not widely used. The use of contraceptives had little influence on premarital cohabitation. Oral-genital, male-male, and female-female sexual practices are very uncommon.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1982

Correlation of diurnal changes in hormones with sexual behavior and age in male rhesus macaques.

We designed this study to determine whether the sexual behavior of male monkeys changes on a diurnal schedule that coincides with changes in the levels of hormones such as luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol, and whether these differences vary with age. Old (n = 8) and young (n = 8) males were bled and given sexual behavior tests eight times at 0900 and eight times at 2100. The old and young males did not differ in mean serum levels of testosterone, estradiol, cortisol, or LH. Testosterone and LH levels were lower at 0900 than at 2100 (p less than 0.01), and estradiol and cortisol levels were higher at 0900 than at 2100 (p less than 0.01). The young males had higher percentages of tests with erections, mounts, intromissions, and ejaculations than the old males (p less than 0.01). The rates of contacting, mounting, and intromitting were higher at 0900 than at 2100 (p less than 0.05). We failed to confirm previously obtained correlations between hormone levels and sexual performance, This failure led us to conclude that any significant correlation between sexual behavior and hormone levels must be regarded as tentative unless repeated in successive independent studies.

Aging↗