Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Sex Linked Disorders

Sex Linked Disorders

Like autosomes, sex chromosomes contain a variety of genes necessary for normal body function. When a mutation in one of these genes results in biological deficits, the disorder is considered sex-linked.

Pleiotropy

Pleiotropy

Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...

Sex-linked Disorders

Sex-linked Disorders

Like autosomes, sex chromosomes contain a variety of genes necessary for normal body function. When a mutation in one of these genes results in biological deficits, the disorder is considered sex-linked.

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing, inherently...

X-linked Traits

X-linked Traits

In most mammalian species, females have two X sex chromosomes and males have an X and Y. As a result, mutations on the X chromosome in females may be masked by the presence of a normal allele on the second X. In contrast, a mutation on the X chromosome in males more often causes observable biological defects, as there is no normal X to compensate. Trait variations arising from mutations on the X chromosome are called “X-linked”.

X-linked Traits

X-linked Traits

In most mammalian species, females have two X sex chromosomes and males have an X and Y. As a result, mutations on the X chromosome in females may be masked by the presence of a normal allele on the second X. In contrast, a mutation on the X chromosome in males more often causes observable biological defects, as there is no normal X to compensate. Trait variations arising from mutations on the X chromosome are called “X-linked”.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Uncontrollability of experimental pain decreases pain intensity and relief pleasantness ratings in a between-group design.

Pain reports·2026

Same author

Acute placebo responsiveness predicts longitudinal expectation effects in antidepressant treatment.

Translational psychiatry·2026

Same author

Temporal predictions shape somatosensory perception.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Factors Associated With Self-Medication to Mitigate Vaccine Reactions After COVID-19 Vaccination: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety·2026

Same author

Auditory Hyperresponsivity in Chronic Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Pain Reprocessing Therapy.

Annals of neurology·2026

Same author

Neural dynamics during heat pain threshold assessment using the method of limits.

NeuroImage·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice

Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice

Published on: March 5, 2020

A functional endophenotype for sexual orientation in humans.

Jorge Ponseti¹, Hartmut A Bosinski, Stephan Wolff

¹Section of Sexual Medicine, Christian-Albrechts University, Medical School, Arnold-Heller-Str. 12, 24105 Kiel, Germany. ponseti@sexmed.uni-kiel.de

|September 19, 2006

Summary

Neuroimaging reveals that the brain

More Related Videos

In Vivo Functional Study of Disease-associated Rare Human Variants Using Drosophila

In Vivo Functional Study of Disease-associated Rare Human Variants Using Drosophila

Published on: August 20, 2019

Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information

Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information

Published on: August 15, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice

Assessment of Sexual Behavior of Male Mice

Published on: March 5, 2020

In Vivo Functional Study of Disease-associated Rare Human Variants Using Drosophila

In Vivo Functional Study of Disease-associated Rare Human Variants Using Drosophila

Published on: August 20, 2019

Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information

Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information

Published on: August 15, 2019

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology
Human Sexuality

Background:

Sexually arousing visual stimuli activate the human reward system and trigger sexual behavior.
Previous research has explored this but often used stimuli with contextual information (faces, gestures).
This study focuses on core sexual stimuli to isolate neuronal correlates of preference.

Purpose of the Study:

To pinpoint a neuronal correlate of sexual preference in humans using event-related fMRI.
To dissociate the effect of stimulus gender from the observer's sexual preference.
To investigate the role of reward and motor systems in sexual preference.

Main Methods:

Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed.
Male and female heterosexual and homosexual volunteers viewed core single-sex visual stimuli (sexually aroused genitals).
Nonsexual control stimuli were used for comparison.

Main Results:

The ventral striatum and centromedian thalamus showed stronger activation in response to preferred versus non-preferred sexual stimuli.
The ventral premotor cortex exhibited bilateral, sexual preference-specific activation.
These activation patterns in response to preferred stimuli were consistent across all participant groups.

Conclusions:

Sexual preference, rather than stimulus gender, drives differential activation in the reward and motor systems.
The ventral premotor cortex activation suggests it triggers action representations related to sexual behavior.
This invariant response pattern in core reward and motor regions may represent a functional endophenotype for sexual orientation.