ABSTRACT
Hormones and Sexual DevelopmentBefore we look at the effects of hormones n sexual development, it would be helpful to understand how steroid hormones work and how the brain uses them. The steroid hormones of interest are the gonadal hormones produced by the gonads (that is, the ovaries and testes) including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. An additional source of related steroids is the adrenal glands. Two features of gonadal hormone action in the brain support the development of sexual behavior: how brain cells, both neurons and non-neuronal cells, use or metabolize them, and how we think they work in these cells to provide for behavior. It will be useful to understand these ideas before looking at sexuality in normal animals, animals under experimental conditions, and in related human conditions. Because experimentation on human beings is unethical, scientists use studies of normal animals and the results of animal experiments to give them insights into how hormones influence adult sexual behavior. We will see that animal studies have helped us understand the timing of hormonal action and the effects of the presence and absence of testosterone on both male and female sexual development.
