Development of a sexually differentiated behavior and its underlying CNS arousal functions

This chapter addresses questions regarding lordosis behavior, the most extremely sexually differentiated behavior that has been analyzed for its neural and molecular mechanisms. Analysis of this behavior has proved for the first time that specific biochemical reactions in specific nerve cell groups in the brain determine a mammalian behavior. Lordosis is done by the female but not by the male. How did the process of sexual differentiation occur? A large literature implicates high levels of testosterone during a critical period during development as being responsible for the defeminization of the brain. A new idea, however, offers the possibility of direct genetic influences independent of testosterone levels themselves. We propose here that Mullerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS) and its receptors could constitute an example of a nonandrogenic genetic influence. Further, specific sexual behaviors depend on underlying arousal states in the central nervous system (CNS). We have proposed the concept of generalized CNS arousal and provide information as to how generalized arousal forces interact with specifically sexual influences, thus to facilitate sexually differentiated mating behaviors.