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

Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are essential chemical messengers within the nervous system, facilitating the communication between neurons. These chemical messengers, varying in function and effect, are critical for sustaining various aspects of neurological health and emotional well-being.

Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory

Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory

Neurotransmitters are integral to the brain's communication system, enabling neurons to transmit signals across synapses. This chemical exchange underpins various cognitive functions, including memory processes. The role of neurotransmitters in memory is multifaceted, influencing the encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of memories through their action on different neural circuits.
Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is critical for...

Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action

Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action

Neurochemical transmission, the conduction of electrical impulses between neurons mediated by neurotransmitters, plays a vital role in various physiological processes. Autonomic drugs exert their effects by modulating neurotransmission within the autonomic nervous system. For instance, drugs such as hemicholinium block the precursor uptake necessary for synthesizing acetylcholine, an essential autonomic neurotransmitter. Following synthesis, neurotransmitters are stored in vesicles. Metyrosine...

Testosterone: Functions and Regulation

Testosterone: Functions and Regulation

The intricate hormonal interplay essential for male reproductive health begins with the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) by the hypothalamus. This hormone prompts the pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). LH targets the Leydig cells in the testes, stimulating them to produce and release testosterone. In concert with testosterone, FSH acts on the Sertoli cells within the seminiferous tubules to facilitate the release of...

Primary Motives: Sleep, Sex, and Pain Avoidance

Primary Motives: Sleep, Sex, and Pain Avoidance

Primary motives such as sleep, sex, and pain avoidance are crucial drivers of behavior in humans and animals. These motives ensure survival, reproductive success, and overall well-being by prompting actions that meet essential bodily needs.
Sleep is a fundamental physiological drive that fosters a state of restfulness crucial for several bodily functions. It facilitates body restoration, the process by which the body repairs, rejuvenates, and maintains itself during sleep, including memory...

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

Certain drugs can affect how neurotransmitters called catecholamines, are released or taken back up in the adrenergic neuron. They can have different effects on the body's sympathetic transmission. Reserpine, a natural compound found in the Rauwolfia shrub, blocks a transporter called vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), which leads to a buildup of catecholamines in the cell and reduces sympathetic transmission. Another drug called guanethidine works in multiple ways, including blocking...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Differential regulation of STARD1, STARD4 and STARD6 in the human ovary.

The Journal of endocrinology·2024

Same author

Targeted disruption of pi-pi stacking in Malaysian banana lectin reduces mitogenicity while preserving antiviral activity.

Scientific reports·2021

Same author

A molecularly engineered antiviral banana lectin inhibits fusion and is efficacious against influenza virus infection in vivo.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2020

Same author

Inhibition of Ebola Virus by a Molecularly Engineered Banana Lectin.

PLoS neglected tropical diseases·2019

Same author

Why Do Membranes of Some Unhealthy Cells Adopt a Cubic Architecture?

ACS central science·2017

Same author

Resolution of Specific Nucleotide Mismatches by Wild-Type and AZT-Resistant Reverse Transcriptases during HIV-1 Replication.

Journal of molecular biology·2016

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Sex Stratified Neuronal Cultures to Study Ischemic Cell Death Pathways

Sex Stratified Neuronal Cultures to Study Ischemic Cell Death Pathways

Published on: December 9, 2013

Emerging roles for neurosteroids in sexual behavior and function.

Steven R King¹

¹Scott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA. srking100@yahoo.com

Journal of Andrology

|June 24, 2008

Summary

Neurosteroids, produced within the nervous system, regulate sexual behavior and reproduction. They rapidly influence neuronal pathways, impacting sexual function, ovulation, and mood-related behaviors.

More Related Videos

Modeling Multiple Sclerosis in the Two Sexes: MOG35-55-Induced Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Modeling Multiple Sclerosis in the Two Sexes: MOG_35-55-Induced Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Published on: October 13, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Sex Stratified Neuronal Cultures to Study Ischemic Cell Death Pathways

Sex Stratified Neuronal Cultures to Study Ischemic Cell Death Pathways

Published on: December 9, 2013

Modeling Multiple Sclerosis in the Two Sexes: MOG35-55-Induced Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Modeling Multiple Sclerosis in the Two Sexes: MOG_35-55-Induced Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Published on: October 13, 2023

Area of Science:

Neuroendocrinology
Neurobiology
Reproductive Science

Background:

Gonadal and adrenal steroids influence sexual function via the brain.
The nervous system synthesizes its own steroids, known as neurosteroids.
Neurosteroids play roles in sexual behavior, reproduction, and mood.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the role of neurosteroids in regulating sexual function and reproduction.
To understand the cellular mechanisms of neurosteroid action.
To differentiate neurosteroid effects from peripheral steroid actions.

Main Methods:

Review of current evidence on neurosteroid function.
Analysis of cellular mechanisms involving neuronal receptors.
Comparison of neurosteroid and peripheral steroid actions on sexual function.

Main Results:

Neurosteroids are crucial for gender-typical sexual behaviors and ovulation control.
They modulate aggression, anxiety, and depression, influencing sexual motivation.
Neurosteroids induce rapid neuronal excitability changes via membrane receptors.

Conclusions:

Neurosteroids exert immediate and specific effects on neuronal pathways.
Their de novo synthesis in the nervous system highlights a distinct regulatory mechanism for sexual function.
Neurosteroids offer a unique pathway for immediate modulation of sexual behavior and reproduction.