OpenLB
Open Library of Bioscience
Advanced Search
Current sexual health reports
Dec, 2017;9 (4): 262-270.

The Role of Ovarian Hormones and the Medial Amygdala in Sexual Motivation.

Mary K Holder, Jessica A Mong
Author Information
  1. Mary K Holder: Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 5030, Atlanta, GA 30302-5030.
  2. Jessica A Mong: Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, 685 W. Baltimore Street, HSF 1 580-1, Baltimore, MD 21201.
PMID: 29422782 DOI: 10.1007/s11930-017-0131-4

Abstract

PURPOSE: Although research into the neurobiology of sexual desire in women is active, relatively little is understood about the origins of sexual motivation in women. The purpose of our review is to discuss factors that influence a central sexual motivate state and generalized arousal as potential drivers of sexual motivation in women and female rats.
RECENT FINDINGS: Sexual motivation is the product of interactions of the central motive state and salient sexually-relevant cues. Ovarian hormones and generalized arousal influence the central motive state, and endogenous levels of estradiol and progesterone correlate with sexual motivation and behavior in women. The amygdala is a key integratory site for generalized arousal and sexual sensory stimulation, which could then increase sexual motivation through its downstream projections.
SUMMARY: Our model of enhanced female sexual motivation suggests that the combined effects of dopamine and progesterone receptor activation in the medial amygdala increases the incentive properties of a sexual stimulus. Further study into the interactions of ovarian hormones and mediators of generalized arousal on the processing of sexually-relevant cues informs our understanding of the neurobiology of female sexual motivation and could lead to the development of therapeutics to treat the dysfunctions of sexual desire in women.

Keywords

dopamine dopamine receptor estradiol proceptive behavior progesterone progesterone receptor

References

  1. Urology. 2004 May;63(5):955-9 [PMID: 15134988]
  2. Qual Health Res. 2007 Feb;17(2):189-200 [PMID: 17220390]
  3. Science. 1997 Mar 14;275(5306):1593-9 [PMID: 9054347]
  4. J Sex Med. 2016 Dec;13(12 ):1881-1887 [PMID: 27743749]
  5. Horm Behav. 2001 Sep;40(2):339-57 [PMID: 11534996]
  6. J Sex Res. 2004 Feb;41(1):82-93 [PMID: 15216427]
  7. JAMA. 1999 Feb 10;281(6):537-44 [PMID: 10022110]
  8. Behav Brain Res. 2010 Jan 20;206(2):279-85 [PMID: 19781579]
  9. Horm Behav. 2016 May;81:45-52 [PMID: 27049465]
  10. Arch Sex Behav. 2003 Jun;32(3):193-208 [PMID: 12807292]
  11. Menopause. 2006 Jan-Feb;13(1):46-56 [PMID: 16607098]
  12. J Physiol. 1979 Mar;288:203-10 [PMID: 469716]
  13. Brain. 1998 Jan;121 ( Pt 1):47-57 [PMID: 9549487]
  14. Womens Health (Lond). 2011 Jan;7(1):95-107 [PMID: 21175394]
  15. J Sex Med. 2013 Apr;10(4):1001-11 [PMID: 23347356]
  16. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2011 Jun;98(4):575-82 [PMID: 21396951]
  17. Physiol Behav. 1986;37(2):345-51 [PMID: 2942955]
  18. Arch Sex Behav. 2004 Dec;33(6):527-38 [PMID: 15483367]
  19. Nature. 1998 Jun 4;393(6684):467-70 [PMID: 9624001]
  20. Neuroreport. 2002 Jan 21;13(1):15-9 [PMID: 11924878]
  21. Behav Neurosci. 2009 Apr;123(2):369-81 [PMID: 19331460]
  22. Exp Brain Res. 2006 Sep;174(1):101-8 [PMID: 16604320]
  23. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2010 Nov;23(6):536-41 [PMID: 20802336]
  24. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 Dec 15;89(24):11988-92 [PMID: 1281547]
  25. J Comp Neurol. 1995 Sep 18;360(2):213-45 [PMID: 8522644]
  26. Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 03;7:39817 [PMID: 28045134]
  27. J Comp Neurol. 1981 Mar 20;197(1):81-98 [PMID: 6164702]
  28. J Sex Med. 2016 Feb;13(2):144-52 [PMID: 26953829]
  29. Psychol Sci. 2002 Mar;13(2):135-41 [PMID: 11933997]
  30. Socioaffect Neurosci Psychol. 2016 Oct 25;6:31481 [PMID: 27791966]
  31. J Sex Marital Ther. 2004 May-Jun;30(3):173-83 [PMID: 15205073]
  32. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1987 May;27(1):93-8 [PMID: 2956611]
  33. Horm Behav. 1976 Mar;7(1):105-38 [PMID: 819345]
  34. Physiol Behav. 2015 Aug 1;147:255-63 [PMID: 25936820]
  35. Maturitas. 2009 Jun 20;63(2):112-5 [PMID: 19372014]
  36. Horm Behav. 2016 Feb;78:178-93 [PMID: 26589379]
  37. Neuroendocrinology. 1995 Oct;62(4):370-84 [PMID: 8544951]
  38. Brain Res Bull. 1993;32(5):447-51 [PMID: 8221135]
  39. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2010 Feb;35(2):197-208 [PMID: 19589643]
  40. J Physiol. 1979 Mar;288:189-202 [PMID: 469715]
  41. J Neurosci. 1990 Aug;10(8):2587-600 [PMID: 2143777]
  42. J Sex Med. 2012 Mar;9(3):793-804 [PMID: 22239862]
  43. J Psychosom Res. 1987;31(1):101-10 [PMID: 3820137]
  44. Horm Behav. 2013 Jan;63(1):128-35 [PMID: 23085495]
  45. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Feb 2;107(5):2265-70 [PMID: 20080607]
  46. J Sex Med. 2008 Jul;5(7):1559-71 [PMID: 18410299]
  47. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2004 Jun;24(3):339-42 [PMID: 15118489]
  48. J Sex Med. 2016 Dec;13(12 ):1888-1906 [PMID: 27843072]
  49. Horm Behav. 2009 May;55(5):579-88 [PMID: 19446074]
  50. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2002 Mar;22(2):103-8 [PMID: 11932136]
  51. Arch Sex Behav. 2011 Apr;40(2):237-46 [PMID: 20464467]
  52. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999 Jun 29;877:439-44 [PMID: 10415663]
  53. Soc Sci Med. 2010 Apr;70(7):1084-90 [PMID: 20116160]
  54. Behav Brain Res. 2009 Jun 25;200(2):268-76 [PMID: 19374011]
  55. Biol Reprod. 1979 Apr;20(3):659-70 [PMID: 572241]
  56. Neuroimage. 2008 May 1;40(4):1482-94 [PMID: 18329905]
  57. J Sex Med. 2013 May;10(5):1328-42 [PMID: 23421466]
  58. Behav Processes. 2015 Apr;113:24-34 [PMID: 25576096]
  59. Arch Sex Behav. 2013 Aug;42(6):1079-100 [PMID: 23546888]
  60. Horm Behav. 2016 Feb;78:211-9 [PMID: 26592455]
  61. Urology. 2001 Jun;57(6):1189-94 [PMID: 11377345]
  62. Neuroscience. 1994 Apr;59(3):609-23 [PMID: 7516505]
  63. Horm Behav. 2015 Jan;67:1-11 [PMID: 25448531]
  64. Mayo Clin Proc. 2017 Jan;92 (1):114-128 [PMID: 27916394]
  65. Psychol Sci. 2013 Oct;24(10):2106-10 [PMID: 23965377]
  66. Horm Behav. 2007 Jan;51(1):40-5 [PMID: 17045994]
  67. Horm Behav. 2011 May;59(5):681-8 [PMID: 20816969]
  68. Horm Behav. 2016 Feb;78:52-9 [PMID: 26497407]
  69. Horm Behav. 2010 Feb;57(2):263-8 [PMID: 20034495]
  70. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e44456 [PMID: 22984512]
  71. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2002;25:507-36 [PMID: 12052919]
  72. Behav Processes. 2015 Sep;118:34-41 [PMID: 26003137]
  73. J Sex Med. 2004 Jul;1(1):24-34 [PMID: 16422980]
  74. Horm Behav. 2011 May;59(5):689-95 [PMID: 20950622]
  75. J Sex Marital Ther. 2000 Jan-Mar;26(1):51-65 [PMID: 10693116]
  76. Horm Behav. 2006 Apr;49(4):509-18 [PMID: 16403409]
  77. J Sex Med. 2009 Jun;6(6):1506-33 [PMID: 19453889]
  78. Arch Sex Behav. 2003 Jun;32(3):279-85 [PMID: 12807300]
  79. J Comp Neurol. 1987 Feb 8;256(2):175-210 [PMID: 3549796]
  80. J Sex Res. 2004 Feb;41(1):55-65 [PMID: 15216424]
  81. Annu Rev Sex Res. 2003;14:1-63 [PMID: 15287157]
  82. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1985 Jun;22(6):1025-33 [PMID: 3161094]
  83. Brain Res. 2004 Feb 27;999(1):40-52 [PMID: 14746920]
  84. Int J Womens Health. 2010 Aug 09;2:167-75 [PMID: 21072309]
  85. Maturitas. 2009 Jun 20;63(2):107-11 [PMID: 19487089]
  86. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997 Apr 15;94(8):4119-24 [PMID: 9108115]
  87. J Sex Res. 2016 Jul-Aug;53(6):711-29 [PMID: 26457746]
  88. J Sex Marital Ther. 2002 Jan-Feb;28(1):1-10 [PMID: 11928174]
  89. Women Health. 2004;40(3):35-50 [PMID: 15829444]
  90. Neuroscience. 2009 Jan 23;158(2):484-502 [PMID: 18976696]
  91. J Sex Med. 2004 Jul;1(1):35-9 [PMID: 16422981]
  92. CNS Drug Rev. 2002 Summer;8(2):117-42 [PMID: 12177684]
  93. Neuron. 1996 Nov;17(5):875-87 [PMID: 8938120]
  94. Annu Rev Psychol. 2008;59:93-118 [PMID: 17678443]
  95. Horm Behav. 2013 Sep;64(4):673-84 [PMID: 23958585]
  96. Int J Impot Res. 2005 Jan-Feb;17(1):39-57 [PMID: 15215881]
  97. Horm Behav. 2013 Apr;63(4):636-45 [PMID: 23601091]
  98. Horm Behav. 1989 Dec;23(4):473-502 [PMID: 2691387]
  99. Horm Behav. 2014 Jul;66(2):330-8 [PMID: 24954690]
  100. Horm Behav. 1984 Sep;18(3):249-55 [PMID: 6489940]
  101. J Chem Neuroanat. 1997 Jul;13(2):115-39 [PMID: 9285356]
  102. Horm Behav. 2010 Aug;58(3):519-25 [PMID: 20399784]

Grants

  1. F31 DA024943/NIDA NIH HHS
  2. R01 DA030517/NIDA NIH HHS
Journal Article
Article has an altmetric score of 1

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0sexualmotivationwomengeneralizedarousalprogesteronecentralstatefemaledopaminereceptorneurobiologydesireinfluenceSexualinteractionsmotivesexually-relevantcuesOvarianhormonesestradiolbehavioramygdalaPURPOSE:AlthoughresearchactiverelativelylittleunderstoodoriginspurposereviewdiscussfactorsmotivatepotentialdriversratsRECENTFINDINGS:productsalientendogenouslevelscorrelatekeyintegratorysitesensorystimulationincreasedownstreamprojectionsSUMMARY:modelenhancedsuggestscombinedeffectsactivationmedialincreasesincentivepropertiesstimulusstudyovarianmediatorsprocessinginformsunderstandingleaddevelopmenttherapeuticstreatdysfunctionsRoleHormonesMedialAmygdalaMotivationproceptive

Similar Articles

Cited By (6)