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PubMed1997

Substance use during sex and unsafe sexual behaviors among acute psychiatric inpatients.

A total of 239 acute psychiatric inpatients were interviewed about whether they used substances just before or during sex and whether they engaged in unsafe sexual behaviors while using substances. Nearly 40 percent of male patients and 36 percent of female patients reported using alcohol at least once during sex in the previous six months. Among male patients a statistically significant association was observed between using crack during sex and two high-risk behaviors--inconsistent condom use and sex with a high-risk partner. Among female patients the use of alcohol before or during sex was significantly associated with the practice of receptive anal sex.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Sexual behavior of captive orangutans.

Opposite-sex pairs of orangutans were tested for sexual behavior during the intermenstrual period of the female. The male orangutan was the primary initiator of sexual interactions and initiated copulation forcefully on a daily basis, irrespective of female resistance. However, although single copulations occurred daily, copulations beyond the first occurred most frequently during midcycle. Other evidence of cyclicity in behavior was the midcycle decrease in female avoidance of the male and increased grooming, proceptivity, and masturbation by the female. Comparative analysis suggests that differences in sexual cyclicity among the great ape species are related to interspecies differences in sexual assertiveness of males and females. Sexual activity in the cycle is relatively brief when the female controls mating, more prolonged when the male is in control. This finding in man's closest taxonomic affiliates suggests that similar social factors may also influence the distribution of sexual interactions in the human cycle.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

HIV risk sensitization following a detailed sexual behavior interview: a preliminary investigation.

We administered a detailed structured interview of sexual HIV risk behavior to 110 college students (46% women; mean age = 19.7 years; range = 18-41 years) and assessed their perceived risk of HIV infection before and after the interview. The sexual behavior assessment consisted of 29 single-item frequency questions, followed by a 90-day Timeline Followback interview. Results indicate that sexually active participants experienced HIV risk sensitization during the interview, whereas participants who were not sexually active did not. Among the sexually active participants, those who had multiple sexual partners were more sensitized to their risk than participants with only one partner, and those who engaged in vaginal sex evidenced increased risk perception, but participants who had only oral sex did not. These findings indicate that detailed sexual behavior assessments influence participants' motivation to reduce their risk behavior. This may be helpful in increasing the effectiveness of brief risk behavior interventions such as HIV counseling and testing. These findings may also have implications for the generalizability of HIV prevention interventions to contexts that do not include such detailed assessments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Brain and sexual behavior.

This chapter will give personal accounts of the neural basis of male rat sexual behavior from two somewhat different perspectives, one tilted towards neuroanatomy (K.L.), and one tilted towards monoaminergic pharmacology (S.A.). Both perspectives were strongly influenced by the Zeitgeist, the former imperceptibly merging into the latter as relations between the neural substrate for monoaminergic neurotransmission was elucidated.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Functional role of peptidergic anterior lobe neurons in male sexual behavior of the snail Lymnaea stagnalis.

A morphologically defined group of peptidergic neurons in the CNS of the hermaphroditic snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, is concerned with the control of a very specific element of male sexual behavior. These neurons are located in the anterior lobe of the right cerebral ganglion (rAL). By using chronically implanted electrodes, we show that the rAL neurons are selectively active during eversion of the penis-carrying structure, the preputium. The preputium is normally contained inside the body cavity and is everted during copulation in the male role. Electrical stimulation of the rAL neurons through the implanted electrodes, induced eversion of the preputium in vivo. Injection of APGWamide (Ala-Pro-Gly-Try-NH2), a small neuropeptide that is present in all rAL neurons, induced eversion of the preputium. Application of APGWamide to in vitro preparations of the preputium caused relaxation of this organ. In contrast, injection of the neuropeptide conopressin, which is co-localized with APGWamide in 60% of the rAL neurons, did not induce any behavior associated with male sexual activities. These results show that the neurons of the rAL can induce an eversion of the preputium as occurs during male copulation by release of APGWamide during a period of electrical activity.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Exploring family factors and sexual behaviors in a group of Black and Hispanic adolescent males.

OBJECTIVE: To explore family factors that influence sexual behaviors among a group of Black and Hispanic adolescent males. METHODS: One hundred seventy-eight subjects were selected from a convenience sample of 431 adolescents who participated in a 1996 Youth Survey conducted in San Bernardino County, California. RESULTS: Having a sibling who was a teen parent was significantly associated with engaging in sexual intercourse among Hispanics. Among Blacks, having a father who was a teen dad was significantly associated with sexual intercourse. CONCLUSIONS: Findings showed relationships between family characteristics and sexual attitudes and behaviors among participants.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Effect of neonatal intrahypothalamic testosterone implants on cyclicity and adult sexual behavior in the female hamster.

To localize the neural sites of hormone action for sexual differentiation in the hamster, pellets containing 3 microgram testosterone were implanted directly in the preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus (POA-AH) and the ventromedial hypothalamus-arcuate regions of the hypothalamus of 3-day-old female hamsters. The POA-AH implants strongly enhanced the potential for ectopic mounts, rear mounts, and intromission patterns after adult testosterone treatment. 50% of the females with neonatal POA-AH implants demonstrated vaginal acyclicity in adulthood, suggesting a significant disruption of normal gonadotropin release. Tests for female sexual behavior revealed that implants in both POA-AH and ventromedial arcuate had no significant effect on latency to lordosis or total lordosis duration with estrogen and progesterone priming, but did reduce the longest single bout of lordosis. In conjunction with other recent investigations, these findings suggest that in the hamster, as in other species, androgenization involves several independent processes in terms of both location and sensitivity to hormone exposure.

Animals↗
PubMed2007

Sexual behavior in high-functioning male adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Group home caregivers of 24 institutionalized, male, high-functioning adolescents and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder, were interviewed with the Interview Sexuality Autism. Most subjects were reported to express sexual interest and to display some kind of sexual behavior. Knowledge of socio-sexual skills existed, but practical use was moderate. Masturbation was common. Many subjects were seeking physical contact with others. Half of the sample had experienced a relationship, while three were reported to have had sexual intercourse. The number of bisexual orientations appeared high. Ritual-sexual use of objects and sensory fascination with a sexual connotation were sometimes present. A paraphilia was present in two subjects. About one third of the group needed intervention regarding sexual development or behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Neuroendocrine regulation of sexually dimorphic brain structure and associated sexual behavior in male rats is genetically controlled.

Steroid hormones, particularly 17beta-estradiol (E2), regulate the development and expression of neural structures and sexual behavior. Recently, we demonstrated that E2-regulated responses are controlled by quantitative trait loci. In this study, we quantified 1) volume of the sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN) of the preoptic area (POA); 2) medial basal hypothalamic (MBH)-POA aromatase and 5alpha-reductase enzyme activities during prenatal development and in adults; 3) serum LH, testosterone, FSH, E2, prolactin (PRL), and corticosterone levels; 4) reproductive organ (i.e., testis and ventral prostate) weights; and 5) male mating behavior in Noble (NB/Cr) and Wistar-Furth (WF/NCr) rat strains to determine the genetic influence on the measured parameters. Maximal phenotypic divergence in male SDN-POA volumes was seen between NB/Cr versus WF/NCr and BDIX/Cr rats (among nine rat strains initially examined), with the average SDN-POA volume of NB/Cr male rats being significantly greater ( approximately 30%) than that of either WF/NCr or BDIX/Cr males. Subsequent experiments investigated WF/NCr versus NB/Cr male rats in further detail. Significantly higher MBH-POA aromatase activity was seen in adult WF/NCr versus NB/Cr males, while MBH-POA 5alpha-reductase rates were not significantly different (within or between sex) for the two rat strains assayed. Serum LH levels were significantly higher (by greater than sixfold) in WF/NCr versus NB/Cr males, whereas testis organ:body weight and ventral prostate:body weight ratios in WF/NCr versus NB/Cr males were significantly smaller (by approximately 6-fold for testis and approximately 1.5-fold for prostate values). Serum FSH levels were significantly higher (by twofold) in WF/NCr versus NB/Cr males. However, serum testosterone levels were not significantly different, whereas E2 levels were approximately twofold higher (but not significantly different) in WF/NCr versus NB/Cr animals. No significant differences were found in basal (i.e., nonstress) serum PRL or corticosterone levels between the WF/NCr and NB/Cr males. In male copulatory tests, NB/Cr males exhibited significantly more aggressive sexual behavior (e.g., in mounting, intromission, and ejaculation parameters) compared with WF/NCr males. Taken together, these findings indicate that WF/NCr males are, in general, low responders, whereas NB/Cr males are high responders to hormonal signals. The obtained data suggest that the correlative, phenotypic variation in SDN-POA volume (i.e., structure) and reproductive hormone patterns and mating behavior (i.e., function) of WF/NCr versus NB/Cr males is regulated by potentially E2-mediated mechanisms that are genetically controlled.

3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1993

HIV risk-related sexual behaviors among heterosexuals in New York City: associations with race, sex, and intravenous drug use.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between heterosexual behaviors associated with HIV infection and ethnicity, sex, and intravenous drug use. METHODS: Subjects were recruited from Bellevue Hospital Center, New York City between 1986 and 1989, and interviewed about sexual behaviors and intravenous drug use. Analyses were based on 1561 black, white, or Hispanic individuals who reported having sexual contact with a member of the opposite sex. RESULTS: Twenty-seven per cent of the study population were black, 43% Hispanic, and 31% white. Blacks were more likely than whites or Hispanics to have initiated sexual intercourse at an early age, and to have had a sexually transmitted disease. Sex with a female drug user was more common among white men, and contact with a prostitute more frequent among Hispanic men. Among the women, Hispanics had fewer sexual risk factors overall than whites or blacks. Use of barrier contraceptives was uniformly low across all ethnic groups. Intravenous drug use was significantly associated with sexual risk-taking. Women were more likely than men to have an intravenous drug-using (IVDU) sexual partner. CONCLUSIONS: The large prevalence of high-risk sexual practices observed in this study emphasizes the continuing need to target AIDS prevention programs at those at highest risk of heterosexually transmitted HIV: racial minorities, IVDU, and their sexual partners.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2003

[Validity and reliability of a questionnaire to asses the social, corporal, and sexual behaviors among school adolescents].

OBJECTIVE: To validate a self-administered questionnaire about social and corporal sexual behaviors among adolescents, by school level and gender. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data collection instrument was constructed according to DeVellis and consisted of 26 items. It was used in a prospective longitudinal study conducted in 1994 in Guadalajara, Mexico, among 1243 secondary and high school students. The construct validity of the instrument was established using exploratory factorial analysis, and its reliability using the Cronbach's alpha test. RESULTS: Five factors were obtained in males and an equal number in women, using eigenvalues > 1 and by forcing the best solution. The explained variance was 59.3-70.6%; the factorial weight average was 0.63-0.75, and 13 different factors were selected. The Cronbach's alpha mean was 0.87-0.93 and 16 factors had Cronbach's alpha over 0.70. CONCLUSIONS: The instrument has an acceptable validity and reliability for studying the sexual, social, and corporal behaviors in adolescents similar populations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The influence of female power in marriage on sexual behaviors and attitudes: a holocultural study.

Abernethy (1974) hypothesized that the quality and quantity of sexual activity within marriage is affected by the dominance relations between partners. This paper reviews her argument and the reactions it engendered. A holocultural test of the relationship between a wife's power within marriage and various measures of sexual behaviors and attitudes is conducted to explore one aspect of Abernethy's position. The results suggest that high levels of female power within marriage do not have an adverse affect on male sexual functioning. Results also indicate that societies characterized by high female power within marriage exhibit behaviors and attitudes which Western thought sees as sexually "healthy."

Animals↗
PubMed1996

The acquisition and maintenance of safer sexual behaviors among injection drug users.

The current research tests stage-sequential models of safer sexual behavior using a new method for data analysis called Latent Transition Analysis (LTA). Results are presented from data collected on 359 injection drug users participating in a seroconversion study conducted by the UCLA Drug Abuse Research Center. We identified a six-stage model that adequately represented the data. Results indicate that respondents moved back and forth among high, medium, and low risk stages. This finding highlights the need for continual, sustained interventions to help maintain safer sex and drug-using behaviors in high-risk groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Sexual behavior and condom use among urban, low-income, African-American and Hispanic youth.

Low income, urban, African-American, and Hispanic youth have been identified as a group for which there is concern about the spread of HIV. Using data from a household probability sample of 1,435 minority youth aged 15 to 24 in Detroit, this paper evaluates levels of sexual activity, condom use, and reasons for condom use and non-use. Comparisons with national samples of minority youth indicated that Detroit low-income youth have similar patterns of sexual behavior to national samples, although males and African-American females began their sexual experiences earlier and were less likely to have used condoms or other protection from pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) at first intercourse. Recent levels of condom use also left many Detroit youth unprotected from STDs. Less than half used a condom at least intercourse in the last year with nonmarital partners that they "knew well." In addition, condom use with partners that they "did not know well" was very low for Hispanic youth: Among those who had at least one casual partner in the last year, only 30% to 33% had ever used a condom with that partner. Analysis of reasons for use indicate that both pregnancy prevention and disease prevention were important motivations for condom use. However, many youth did not use condoms for reasons such as unavailability of condoms or unplanned sex.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

Validity of self-reported sexual behaviors in adolescent women using biomarker outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the criterion-related validity of alternative approaches to the measurement of sexual intercourse using sexually transmitted diseases (STD) as a biomarker (the criterion). STUDY DESIGN: Analyses are based on an urban sample of 255 adolescent women, 15 to 19 years of age, treated for genitourinary infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis or Trichomonas vaginalis who returned 3 months later for reexamination. Subjects completed self-administered questionnaires at enrollment and at 3 months. Genitourinary cultures were obtained at enrollment, 2 to 4 weeks later at a test-of-treatment visit (TOT), and at 3 months. RESULTS: Two hundred fourteen of the 255 adolescents also returned for a TOT culture; 186 of these 214 (73%) were free of infection 2 to 4 weeks after enrollment and 30% (56/186) acquired a subsequent STD by 3 months. The validity of questions about sexual behavior differed. No adolescent who denied interim intercourse by reporting "0" sexual partners or "0" coitions acquired an interval STD. Adolescents who denied regular intercourse (vaginal sex) or failed to indicate the number of interim coitions were at high risk for new STD-23% and 21%, respectively. A new measure of sexual intercourse using both the number of sexual partners and the number of coitions contained no missing data; adolescents classified as not having had interim sexual intercourse were free of infection at 3 months, whereas 32% of those who reported intercourse acquired an interim infection. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that high-risk urban adolescent women can accurately report whether they have engaged in vaginal intercourse. The validity of the report appears sensitive to the wording and content of the questions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Normal differentiation of masculine sexual behavior in male ferrets despite neonatal inhibition of brain aromatase or 5-alpha-reductase activity.

Male ferrets born in the laboratory received subcutaneous Silastic capsules containing either the aromatase inhibitor, androst-1,4,6-triene-3, 17-dione (ATD), the 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, testosterone-17 beta-carboxylic acid (17 beta C), or no hormone, for 15 days beginning on the day of birth; an additional group of females received empty Silastic capsules. All ferrets were gonadectomized when 11 weeks of age and were subsequently tested for masculine sexual behavior after a latin-square sequence of treatments with subcutaneous Silastic capsules containing testosterone (T), estradiol (E), or dihydrotestosterone (DHT). After T, control males displayed significantly more neck gripping, mounting and pelvic thrusting than control females, and males treated neonatally with ATD or 17 beta C were no less responsive than control males. After DHT, little masculine sexual behavior was shown by any group. After E, the duration of mounting was significantly longer in control and ATD males than in control females or 17 beta C males. Subsequently, however, there were no differences between control and 17 beta C males on any parameter of masculine sexual performance, when they were retested sequentially after subcutaneous implantation of E followed by E + DHT. Additional groups of newborn male and female ferrets received subcutaneous capsules containing either ATD, 17 beta C, or no hormone and were killed on postnatal day 7. Administration of ATD, but not 17 beta C, strongly inhibited aromatase activity in the hypothalamus + preoptic area. In all groups, the formation of significantly inhibited cortical 5 alpha-reductase activity. Plasma concentrations of T were equivalent on postnatal day 7 in males given each of the neonatal treatments. These results suggest that behavioral masculinization in the male ferret results primarily from the neonatal action in brain of T itself, and not from its estrogenic or 5 alpha-reduced androgenic metabolites.

5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors↗
PubMed1992

A Macintosh computer system for collecting and analyzing rodent sexual behavior.

We present a Macintosh-based computer system for collection and analysis of rodent sexual behavior. Two computer programs are presented. The first is an entirely generalizable real time data collection program that records any keyboard or keypad inputs (e.g., user defined behavior codes) and their time of occurrence. The second is somewhat generalizable; we use it to analyze frequencies, durations, and latencies relative to a copulatory series (including mounts, intromissions, and ejaculations). To our knowledge, these are the first such programs available on the Macintosh platform.

Animals↗