Neuroscience and Sexual Orientation - Related Studies

Related Studies

Various animal and insect models have been used to explore sexual orientation and brain characteristics. One experiment involved genetically altering male Drosophila causing them to have feminized brain structures involved in processing sexually dimorphic contact pheromones. Transformed males showed increase homosexual courtship behaviors to wild-type male flies, and there a correlation was found between the courtship behavior and the expression of the altered gene in the sexually related brain regions.

A 2004 study exploring the difference in brain metabolism between heterosexual and homosexual males found that homosexuals had a significant reduction in hypothalamic glucose metabolism compared to that of heterosexuals with other brain regions including the prefrontal association cortex and portions of the cingulate cortex showing differences in the measured activation.

Read more about this topic:  Neuroscience And Sexual Orientation

Famous quotes containing the words related and/or studies:

    Becoming responsible adults is no longer a matter of whether children hang up their pajamas or put dirty towels in the hamper, but whether they care about themselves and others—and whether they see everyday chores as related to how we treat this planet.
    Eda Le Shan (20th century)

    What happiness did poor Mother’s studies bring her? It is the melancholy tendency of such studies to separate people from their friends and neighbors and fellow creatures in whom alone lies one’s happiness.
    Mary Potter Playne (c. 1850–?)