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28 Mar 2011

Scientists find brain chemical influences 'sexual preference' in mice

The brain chemical serotonin may play a surprising role in sexual preference, according to a new study, which showed that male mice lacking serotonin did not show any overall preference for either sex when presented with different options for mates.

According to a new study by researchers from the Peking University in Beijing, National Institute of Biological Sciences, and Washington University in St. Louis, the brain chemical serotonin may play a  role in sexual preference such that male mice lacking serotonin began wooing other males with "mating calls" and made attempts to mate with them.

Male mice bred without serotonin lose their preference for females, researchers found. Serotonin is known to regulate sexual behaviors, such as erection, ejaculation and orgasm, in both mice and men. The compound generally dampens sexual activity; for instance, antidepressants that increase the amount of serotonin in the brain sometimes decrease sex drive. -- Is Homosexuality Based on a Brain Chemical? (Livescience.com)

Quoting the study published in the international scientific journal Nature on March 23, the BBC last week reported that researchers say it is the first time that a neurotransmitter has been shown to play a role in sexual preference in mammals.

A series of experiments demonstrated that the mice, whose brains were not receptive to serotonin, had lost the preference for females shown by unmodified males. They showed no overall preference for either males or females when presented with a choice of partners.

When just a male was introduced into the cage, the "modified" males were far more likely to mount the male and emit a "mating call" normally given off when encountering females than unmodified males were.

Similar results were achieved when a different set of mice were bred. These lacked the tryptonphan hydroxylase 2 gene, which is needed to produce serotonin.

However, researchers managed to "restore" the mice's preference for females by injecting serotonin into the brain.

The report concludes: "Serotonergic signalling is crucial for male sexual preference in mice. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that a neurotransmitter in the brain has been demonstrated to be important in mammalian sexual preference."

Experts however have warned against drawing conclusions about human sexuality based on this research.

Professor Keith Kendrick, a neuroscientist at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, said: "In terms of having potential relevance to understanding human sexual preference/orientation, we are of course far less influenced by odour cues in this context than mice are.

"There is some very limited evidence for altered responses to selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the brains of homosexuals, but we have been using psychoactive drugs which either increase or decrease serotonin function for quite some time now, and while effects on sexual arousal, impulsivity and aggression have often been reported, no effects on sexual preference/orientation have.

"At this time therefore any potential links between serotonin and human sexual preferences must be considered somewhat tenuous."

讀者回應

1. 2011-03-28 19:53  
"At this time therefore any potential links between serotonin and human sexual preferences must be considered somewhat tenuous."

Leave my serotonin alone !
2. 2011-03-28 20:12  
Toward what end, are these studies leading?

Why invest so much $$ and brain-power in this direction?

Are governments and secret organizations looking for ways to erradicate and modify us?
3. 2011-03-28 20:30  
Now, I know why guys like guys, and gals like gals though serotonin is not proven yet in humans for this inclination.
4. 2011-03-28 20:36  
Sounds totally logical to me !

Premise 1 : Bananas are high in serotonin.
Premise 2 : Mice low in serotonin are more likely to like bananas.

Conclusion : Low serotonin makes us want bananas - makes us Gay :)
5. 2011-03-28 20:37  
Reminds me of X-Men, and people are looking for the cure to mutant powers... in this case, homosexuality.
6. 2011-03-28 20:53  
Gosh, one can imagine ex-gay organisations offering free shots of serotonin...
7. 2011-03-28 21:42  
Serotonin makes us sleepy right ? that explains the gay sexual vigor
8. 2011-03-28 23:13  
i would invest into this to make the worlds hottest straight men turn gay ^.^
9. 2011-03-28 23:18  
My first impulse is: 'who cares?' But on second thought I find the report scary. The evidence is obviously tenuous at best, but some people will use it to suggest that we can be 'cured'. And what happens if a chemical treatment is developed that can reverse our sexual orientations? What will homophobes say about people who refuse to accept such treatments? I consider being gay a privledge and would never consider changing. In fact, given the over population of human beings on this planet, and other factors, I think they should be looking for a way to cure heterosexuality.
10. 2011-03-28 23:27  
Lady Gaga already know that everyone is born their way, but her message still get banned in backward cultures that practice/enjoy deliberate discrimination.
Mankind: Time for reset button. ;P
11. 2011-03-28 23:56  
I am fine and I DON'T want to be fixed

12. 2011-03-29 00:23  
wow, are those gay mice?? i wouldnt mind adopting a pair.. they look cute!
13. 2011-03-29 00:43  
whats the problem ? just find an easily available chemical that supresses serotonin production, top up the global water supply and overnight the pool of gay men goes up 900%. what a fantastic discovery!
14. 2011-03-29 01:24  
serotonine is a neurotransmitter, it means its necessary for transport of signals, like a train transports people to different locations.

our body and all biological processes need diferent kinds of biochemicals to stay alive, so little can be said about specific behavioral influence for 1 chemical compound, neither can behaviour be fixed by one kind of chemical.

without serotinine one cannot move, with too much one falls asleep.
回應#15於於2011-03-29 02:15被作者刪除。
16. 2011-03-29 02:02  
jumped to Nature as well, indeed, a great research article.

However, don't be panic, you guys may read this nice article too:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=serotonin-and-sexual-preference-is-2011-03-28

I think, it has no (great) implication, if we compare to designer baby.

Changing Human's sexual behaviour upon few shots of hormone and etc? i doubt it will work.

regards
修改於2011-03-29 02:15:09
17. 2011-03-29 02:41  
Serotonin affecting genetically engineered mice in this way has very little relevance to human biochemistry.

Otherwise gay men on antidepressants would all turn straight.
18. 2011-03-29 03:20  
Hmmm, interesting...

Hey, is there any truth that a group of Gay scientists are working to uncover what turns some people Heterosexual?

I heard that, if they can just identify the chemical (which they've codenamed 'Straightium'), they can target the areas of the brain responsible for creating it, and correct the unnatural urges found in so, so many people out there. (Carriers of Straightium seem oddly resistant to Lady GaGa and Two-Cocktails-For-The-Price-Of-One happy hours at gay bars.)

'Course, Earth will get a LOT quieter about 80 years later, but Hey! Let the Race begin! For Science!
修改於2011-03-29 03:21:05
19. 2011-03-29 03:25  
And, um... by the way....

WHY is there a ruddy big ad for 'Dating For Seniors' (with a lovely, old, Heterosexual couple) bunged in by Google at the top of this article?!

I'm A) NOT that old, thank you very much - even though in Gay Years, 39 is juuuuuust about the same as, oooh, 89; and B) also, I'm not Straight! (And C) I'm also not looking to date some old age pensioner, of either sex.)

Scientists! Stop looking for What Might Not Really Make Some Mice More Or Less Interested In Sex With Anyone, and start looking for the logic behind Strangely Unsuitable Ads On Gay Websites, instead!
20. 2011-03-29 04:42  
I don't mind being 'cured', it's less complicated that way for me..
21. 2011-03-29 08:58  
i wouldn't mind being cured of my gay impulses... but then what happens if afterwards i still don't feel anything for women... then i'd be totally screwed... and would have had the only orgasmic joy in life robbed by scientists trying to play god with my libido... FUCK THAT!!!
22. 2011-03-29 09:18  
who cares, its just a label, straights are experimenting a lot these days so its all very confusing, I still have had the best sex ever with bisexuals, they continue to be the most fun and skillful
23. 2011-03-29 12:32  
These mice aren't gay... They just didn't distinguish female & male. The observations made in the article do not even remotely reflect homosexuality.

So, Relax =)
24. 2011-03-29 13:57  
interesting. but not relevant for teh homminz
-not sure what this is doing on fridae.
25. 2011-03-29 15:01  
why bother! 2 be gay or not 2 be gay is something beyond human brain can explained coz we are the most special bunch of people in the world. Cheer up PLU
回應#26已於於2011-03-29 15:29被管理員刪除。
回應#27已於於2011-03-29 15:29被管理員刪除。
28. 2011-03-29 16:40  
This study doesn't surprise me at all. Our body, mind, emotions and consciousness are just series of chemical reactions and electrical equations. Nothing more, nothing less.
29. 2011-03-29 18:10  
ha! inject serotonin into me and I bet I still don't go mounting the first available female ho (;-)) humans no doubt are more complex to study their tin pot theories on than little mice
30. 2011-03-29 19:19  
im happy as i am. thank you very much
31. 2011-03-29 19:51  
I wonder what the motive/point was of conducting these experiments in the first place. ??
What a shame the funding for these suspicious experiments wasnt directed towards worthwhile projects such as research for cancer treatments, relieving hunger, or a multitude of worthwhile causes we could think of.

修改於2011-04-01 13:14:10
回應#32於於2011-03-30 03:23被作者刪除。
33. 2011-03-30 03:23  
This only proves that science in the wrong hands can be just as dangerous as religion.

Bt in an age of prevalent plastic surgery where you can even change the eyes/nose/mouth/skin etc into that of some obscure, if not rather sinister, 'Master Race' ideal, what surprise is it, then, for some to exploit this very same 'technology' to turn 'undesirable' people into 'desirable' society ideals? Some food for thought here. And no, it will not only be gay people who will be suffering fr such 'research'.
34. 2011-03-30 17:06  
What a hideoaus and cruel experiment: the cruelty of human beings to their animal brothers and sisters is almost unbelievable! And to what end?
35. 2011-03-31 02:19  
IOW is this article giving a reasonable explanation for our behavior?

LOL!
36. 2011-04-01 07:55  
oh my goodness. please keep the scientists (and doctors too) out of these:

33: [This only proves that science in the wrong hands can be just as dangerous as religion.]

if the sun rises from the west tomorrow, scientists are supposed to check the observation/experiment, if it is right, the theory that the sun rises from the east is overthrown. if god is proven to be just a chemical need of humans to believe, i am sure what you meant by "religion" will not do just that.

34: [What a hideoaus and cruel experiment]

i am sure you realize this has nothing to do with the scientist. if you have an issue with animal testing, then you might want to give up the preference for safety in the pills you might take when you are ill.

31: [What a shame the funding for these suspicious experiments wasnt directed towards worthwhile projects such as reaserch for cancer treatments...]

they are just doing research on serotonin and reporting the results. the results happens to involve sexual preference for mice.

19: [Scientists! Stop looking for What Might Not Really Make Some Mice More Or Less Interested In Sex With Anyone...]

oh my goodness.

if you think i am stupid. great! i completely agree with you. but still, cant help commenting.
37. 2011-04-03 02:22  
It's about time scientists found a way to wipe this vermin off the face of this planet -- by making all male rats engage exclusively in insatiable and unprotected gay sex 24/7.
38. 2011-04-06 00:44  
yeah, it would be fun to use the advent of science to turn someone gay. Straightium huh? I want some of that please... lol

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