The Neural Mechanisms Of Sexual Behaviour

Running Head: NEURAL MECHANISMS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 1

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Introduction

All organisms whether masculine or female, exhibit identifiable disparities in behavior

concerning sexual and identity behaviors. Every sex exhibit behavior that are often restrained to

that sex, implying that identification of certain sexes is possible, through various ways. The

behaviors exhibited by certain sexes or individuals comprise of an assortment of coordinated,

and genetically pre-determined social and sexual exhibits that guarantee thriving reproductive

strategies, and continued existence of that particular sex (Dulac & Kimchi, 2008). There are

mechanisms that exist in humans and additional organisms that are considered imperative in the

determination of behaviors that certain sex exhibits. However, certain cases present controversies

due to conflicting mechanisms in sexual behavior that makes it intricate to resolve whether

certain individuals belong to a certain sex. Sexually dimorphic mannerisms characterize the

extreme illustrations of behavioral variability for particular individuals (Dulac & Kimchi, 2008).

The fundamental principles concerning sex specificity with respect to brain functioning is not

known. Nevertheless, various advances have been ascertained in the determination of the role of

various mechanisms and hormones in the establishment of sexual conduct for both sexes.

Responses generated by either male or female individuals are reliant on internal

mechanisms since no fundamental disparities exist for both sexes with respect to physical and

NEURAL MECHANISMS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2

other sensory stimuli. Conversely, existence of various disparities with reference to both

sexes brings evidence that the presented responses towards psychology stimuli ought to be

reliant on certain mechanisms that function differently between the sexes (Dulac & Kimchi,

2008).

Various athletes have been caught up in controversy regarding their sex, necessitating

sex-determination tests. In certain cases, tests become positive while others exhibit negative

results. The tests are often conducted under the direction and mandate of IAAF, which is the

body concerned with international issues regarding athletes. Recently, females from different

countries and holders of medals for different races have been subjected to sex-determination

tests.

Firstly, the physical description of the athlete is presented as follows; the female athlete

name is Jane with an age of 18 years. The height is 5 ft 7 in with the weight being 140 lb. The

athlete has presented excellent performance over time, in various races in and out of the mother

country. The athlete holds medals for 800m together with 1500m under women’s category in

international running. Additionally, the female athlete holds a record for the country that she

represents. In world championships, the female athlete holds a silver and gold medal for running

in two occasions under 800m category. The allegations were that the athlete was an intersex

individual thus necessitating the athlete to undertake a biological sex-verification examination to

confirm the same. The athlete raised disagreement over gender due to outstanding performance

that made her obtain various international medals. The athlete moved from being a junior athlete

into a world-class performer within an epoch that summed into below a year. Despite the

outstanding performance, another thing that brought considerable doubt was her masculine

outlooks that suggested that the athlete was a hermaphrodite (Anzia, 2009).

NEURAL MECHANISMS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 3

Positive results meant that the athlete was in danger of losing the medal received since

possessing certain hormones offered a competitive advantage over the rest of the athletes. Once

an athlete gets diagnosed, IAAF has the responsibility of deciding if the athlete ought to be

eliminated from the competitions. Individuals with AIS have an unfair advantage compared to

other athletes since they possess abnormally elevated testosterone quantities (Lave, 2009).

Possessing abnormal quantities of the hormone enables female athletes to develop strong

muscles thus offering these individuals an edge over the rest of the athletes with regard to power

and speed.

However, Jane exhibited extensive orientation towards the female side, implying that she

is indeed a woman. The biological orientation moved towards the female side although the

physical appearance and performance implies otherwise. However, certain cases have emerged

where female athletes are considered biologically masculine despite being women in the real

sense. In case, an athlete is regarded masculine considering their biological orientation despite

being feminine, this is considered a condition. The condition is regarded as Androgen

Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) in which male chromosomes are available in the fetus during

formation within the mother’s womb. Nevertheless, male attributes and organs are not present or

may be either deformed or substituted with female organs (Lave, 2009).

The athlete obtained another chance of partaking in international competitions, despite

rumors that the athlete was intersex. Other rumors were that the athlete undertook hormone

treatment in order to make her eligible for competition (Behrensen, 2011). Hormone treatment

ensures that the athlete under examination does not possess an unjust advantage over normal

female athletes. However, tests conducted on the athlete before undertaking in various races

offered prove that the female athlete had nothing abnormal. Gender Verification Testing (GVT)

NEURAL MECHANISMS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 4

offers the rest of the athletes a fair competition by ensuring that they compete with athletes with

similar sexual behaviors (Behrensen, 2011). The process serves to eliminate cheating by

exposing individuals posing as women in order to gain an unfair advantage over other female

athletes. Nonetheless, GVT has considerable impacts on the lives and performances of the

female athletes due to exposure of the athletes to interphobic public. The process offers

considerable attack on the personal dignity of the athlete together with self-autonomy and

privacy (Behrensen, 2011).

Human sexuality possesses close relations to reproductive behavior with regard to

propagation and existence, in additional to neural mechanisms. Nevertheless, sexuality does not

constantly emanate in reproduction since it acts as a motivated behavior. Various hormones are

produced in order to shape neural mechanisms within the body. The presence of certain

hormones, for instance androgen considerably influences neural mechanisms and function

(Baird, Wilson, Sarah, Bladin, Saling & Reutens, 2007). These hormones bear varying effects on

sexual behavior and performances for both sexes. Therefore, higher quantities of a certain

hormone in a female athlete may substantially influence performance. In view of the hormones

for instance testosterone, female athletes with elevated testosterone possess the ability to develop

stronger muscles that offer power during athletic activities (Baird, Wilson, Sarah, Bladin, Saling

& Reutens, 2007).

Conclusion

Neural mechanisms regarding sexual behaviors can exhibit certain conditions that are

regarded unusual. Dimorphic behaviors crop up for certain individuals, mainly due to disparities

NEURAL MECHANISMS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 5

in hormone quantities in the body. Physical attributes can be deceiving since they are not

indicative of sex. Individuals may possess these attributes due to prominent testosterone that

enables them develop strong muscles. Conversely, individuals may be biologically considered

male, despite the actuality that they are feminine. This transpires due to a condition called AIS

that makes female athletes tests become positive for masculinity. This is often present in female

athletes due to the presence of male chromosomes in the fetus during development within the

womb. GVT serves to reduce cases of men branding themselves as women in order to acquire an

advantage over female athletes. However, it brings considerable negative influence on the

performance of athletes through public humiliation and stripping of medals in certain cases.

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References

Anzia, L. (2009). What’s the big deal about gender? - Female Identity as Intersex.

Retrieved from < http://womensphilanthropy.typepad.com/stephaniedoty/2010/01/whats-

the-big-deal-about-gender-female-identity-as-intersex.html >

Baird, A.D., Wilson, Sarah J. P., Bladin, F., Saling, M. M. & Reutens, D. C. (2007).

Neurological control of human sexual behaviour: insights from lesion studies. Journal

Neurology, Neurosurgeon Psychiatry, 78:1042-1049.

DOI:10.1136/jnnp.2006.107193

Behrensen, M. (2011). Intersex athletes: Do we need a gender police in professional sports?

Retrieved from <

http://www.iwm.at/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=427&Itemid=125>

Dulac, C. & Kimchi, T. (2008).Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sex-specific Behaviors in

Vertebrates. Curr Opin Neurobiology, 17(6): 675–683.

DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2008.01.009

Lave, T. R. (2009). Runner's Witness: Gender Guessing The unfair treatment of Caster Semenya.

Running Times Magazine

Retrieved from < http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=18203>

NEURAL MECHANISMS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 7

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