Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

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...
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs01:23

Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs

Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Susceptibility of the Placenta and Fetal Brain to Maternal Probiotic Supplementation.

Microorganisms·2026
Same author

Attention and social problems are uniquely associated with academic achievement beyond overall psychopathology: multicohort replication in 3,800 participants.

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines·2026
Same author

Disturbances of the Placenta-Brain Axis in Germ-Free Pregnant Mice.

Biology of reproduction·2026
Same author

An IL-1, IL-17, and IL-22 cytokine circuit controls vulvovaginal candidiasis independently of estrogen.

PLoS pathogens·2026
Same author

Early Identification of Children at Risk for Long-Term Difficulties with Mathematics Learning and Innumeracy in Adolescence.

Journal of pediatric neuropsychology·2026
Same author

Biological and cultural influences on the expression of sex differences: Commentary on Costello et al. (2026).

The American psychologist·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Pattern-based Search of Epigenomic Data Using GeNemo
06:38

Pattern-based Search of Epigenomic Data Using GeNemo

Published on: October 8, 2017

Sexually selected traits: a fundamental framework for studies on behavioral epigenetics.

Eldin Jašarević1, David C Geary, Cheryl S Rosenfeld

  • 1Department of Psychological Sciences, the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, and the Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA.

ILAR Journal
|June 8, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Sexual selection influences sex differences in brain and behavior through epigenetic mechanisms. Steroid hormones and endocrine disruptors can alter these epigenetic changes, impacting sexually selected traits.

Keywords:
DNA methylationhistone proteinsneurodevelopmentsex dimorphismsteroid hormones

More Related Videos

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks
08:51

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

Published on: May 13, 2016

In Vitro Selection of Engineered Transcriptional Repressors for Targeted Epigenetic Silencing
10:44

In Vitro Selection of Engineered Transcriptional Repressors for Targeted Epigenetic Silencing

Published on: May 5, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Pattern-based Search of Epigenomic Data Using GeNemo
06:38

Pattern-based Search of Epigenomic Data Using GeNemo

Published on: October 8, 2017

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks
08:51

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

Published on: May 13, 2016

In Vitro Selection of Engineered Transcriptional Repressors for Targeted Epigenetic Silencing
10:44

In Vitro Selection of Engineered Transcriptional Repressors for Targeted Epigenetic Silencing

Published on: May 5, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Endocrinology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Epigenetic mechanisms are increasingly recognized for their role in sex differences in brain and behavior.
  • Identifying traits most susceptible to epigenetic modification is a key challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose sexual selection as a framework for identifying traits susceptible to epigenetic modification.
  • To examine how steroid hormones and endocrine-disrupting compounds influence these traits and their epigenetic programming.

Main Methods:

  • Reviewing evidence on steroid hormone exposure during development and its impact on epigenetic pathways.
  • Evaluating the role of endocrine disruptors like bisphenol A in interfering with epigenetic gene expression.
  • Analyzing epigenetic changes (DNA methylation, histone alterations, noncoding RNA) induced by steroid hormones.

Main Results:

  • Sexual selection, involving male-male competition and female choice, provides a framework for understanding susceptible traits.
  • Steroid hormones (estradiol, testosterone) exposure during development programs these behaviors via epigenetic mechanisms.
  • Endocrine disruptors can interfere with these epigenetic pathways.
  • Steroid hormones induce diverse epigenetic changes in the brain, with sex-specific differences observed.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic programming by steroid hormones during development is crucial for sex differences in behavior.
  • Secondary sex differences related to sexual selection may originate from these steroid-induced epigenetic changes.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is vital for comprehending sex differences in brain and behavior.