Origins of individual differences in male sexual function

已经描述了大鼠神经系统和行为中的一些一致的性别差异。除了他们的内在兴趣，这些性别差异值得研究，因为它们提供了一个例子，说明个体之间在神经结构和功能上存在一致的差异，使我们能够研究导致这种差异的因素。这些性别差异的一些激素和发育原因已经被描述。例如，众所周知，雄性早期产生的睾丸激素可以解释神经结构和行为方面的许多性别差异。尽管如此，同性的个体在这些性分化的神经系统结构和行为方面彼此差异很大，原因在很大程度上是未知的。目前的建议调查的贡献，环境刺激对勃起功能的大鼠，这是由一个显着的性别差异控制的神经系统，并代表了一个明确的性别差异的行为。我们的初步研究表明，至少有两个环境因素影响成人勃起功能：一个人的历史，新生儿刺激生殖器和个人的压力反应在成年期。拟议的研究将调查这些观察到的影响的可能的激素和神经基础。这些研究有望让我们更深入地了解神经系统和行为中个体差异的本质和起源。

A number of consistent sex differences in the nervous system and behaviour of rats have been described. Beyond their intrinsic interest, these sex differences are worthy of study because they provide an example of a consistent difference between individuals in neural structure and function, allowing us to study the factors that contribute to such differences. Some of the hormonal and developmental causes of these sex differences have been described. For example, it is known that early production of testosterone by males accounts for many sex differences in neural structure and behaviour. Nonetheless, individuals of the same sex differ considerably from one another in these sexually differentiated nervous system structures and behaviours for largely unknown reasons. The present proposal investigates contributions of environmental stimuli on erectile function in rats, which is controlled by a striking sex difference in the nervous system and represents a clear sex difference in behaviour. Our preliminary studies indicate that that at least two environmental factors influence adult erectile function: an individual's history of neonatal tacile stimulation of the genitals and an individual's stress response in adulthood. The proposed studies will investigate possible hormonal and neurological bases for these observed effects. These studies are expected to give us greater insight into the nature and origins of individual differences in the nervous system and behaviour.