A Podcast about the Neurobiology of Sex
In this episode, Abiola Irvine (Haverford College ’20) talks about how male and female brains differ. As part of this, she discusses a study showing that men and women differ in their amygdala response to visual sexual stimuli (Hamman et al., 2004, Nature Neuroscience). You’ll be transported as Abiola takes you on a whirlwind tour … Continue reading Episode 1: Do Brains Have Sex?
In this episode, Kelly Brown (Haverford ’19) tells us about the neurobiology of mating in Japanese Quails, a surprisingly popular animal model in behavioral neuroendocrinology research. As part of this, she tells us about a study in which dopamine release was measured in the brains of male Japanese Quails during various stages of their mating … Continue reading Episode 2: Love Birds
In this episode, Maeve Gaffney (Haverford ’20) explores the mating behavior of the Pond Snail, a simultaneous hermaphrodite. Mating behavior in this organism is complicated because individuals have both male and female reproductive organs, but mate in pairs. Listen in to hear Maeve break down a complex study about the electrical and chemical properties of … Continue reading Episode 3: Snail Male?
In this episode, Marc Jaskir (Haverford ’20) takes us on a detective-style search for answers about the neurobiology of orgasm in women. As part of this, he tells us about a study in which women had their brain activity monitored using PET Scans while their partners helped them to achieve orgasms (Georgiadis et al., 2006, … Continue reading Episode 4: How to Fake an Orgasm… In The Brain
In this episode, Emily O’Sullivan (Haverford ’19) teaches us about fish that can rapidly change their sex in response to changes in their social environment. As part of this, she tells us about a study in Blueheaded Wrasses, a species of fish in which females can change into males, and some males pretend to be … Continue reading Episode 5: Hook, Line, and Sneakers
In this episode, Marina Kheyfets (Haverford ’21) explores whether pheromonal communication influences sexual behavior in humans. As part of this, she tells us about a study in which men and women were exposed to possible human sex pheromones and then asked to rate photographs of faces for their attractiveness and possible “sexual unfaithfulness” (Hare et … Continue reading Episode 6: Romance is in the Air… But Can You Smell It?
In this episode, Jessica Kahng (Bryn Mawr ’20) talks about how male goldfish use vision to guide their mating behavior (Lord et al., 2009, Hormones and Behavior). Jessica uses this as a jumping off point to think about the use of the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ in science: What do they mean? When should they … Continue reading Episode 7: Fishing for Politics
In this episode, Jason Gao (Haverford ’20) tells us about the sex lives of Octopuses! As part of this, he discusses the role of the olfactory system in regulating mate choice (Di Cristo et al., 2008, Peptides). Jason will convince you that not only are octopuses an appropriate model organism in which to study the … Continue reading Episode 8: In An Octopus’s Garden
In this episode, Eric Klein (Haverford ’21) discusses how different neurotransmitter systems in the brain influence sexual behavior. As part of this, Eric talks about the role of oxytocin, including how oxytocin receptor expression can play a role in regulating not only sexual behavior, but also anxiety (Bale et al., 2001, Journal of Neuroscience). You … Continue reading Episode 9: Do We Have Chemistry?
In this episode, Emma Pinsky (Bryn Mawr ’20) talks about sexual dysfunction in females. As part of this, she discusses how anti-depressant drugs that cause sexual side effects can provide clues into the neurochemical underpinnings of female sexual dysfunction (Abbasinazaria et al., 2018, Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research). Using this as a jumping off point, … Continue reading Episode 10: Female Sexual Dysfunction: Of Mice and Women
