Previously thought to have no physiological effects, the prostatic fluid component of semen contains a protein that can trigger ovulation and other pregnancy-related hormonal responses in female mammals. The discovery, by an international team of scientists led by Gregg Adams at the University of Saskatchewan, raises intriguing questions about fertility in mammals, including humans. The […]
For the first time, researchers have used a specialized camera to measure pupillary changes in people watching erotic videos, the changes in pupil dilation revealing where the participant is located on the heterosexual-homosexual spectrum. The researchers at Cornell University who developed the technique say it provides an accurate method of gauging the precise sexual orientation […]
Medical advice given to sub-fertile men about smoking, alcohol, drugs and obesity is of little value, say UK medicos who contend that many so-called lifestyle “risks” appear to have little or no effect on sperm health. The researchers behind the new findings, from the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield, say that infertility/lifestyle advice should accordingly […]
Mice exposed to high doses of a common plasticizing chemical in utero exhibit significant reproductive alterations and precancerous lesions as they grow up, according to a new toxicology report appearing in the journal Reproductive Toxicology. Phthalates are widely used – in soaps, cosmetics, plastic containers and toys – and exposure to them has previously been […]
Observational data from a new study published in the journal Cancer reveal that men who had been circumcised before their first sexual intercourse were 15 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than uncircumcised men. The authors of the new work, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, suggest that circumcision can hinder infection and […]
A joint venture between two US companies to develop an artificial testicle has been awarded funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The Turek Clinic, a men’s health medical practice, and MandalMed Inc, a San Francisco-based biotech company, received the grant to construct an artificial human testicle and explore how sperm are made […]
The scientists at the Gladstone Institutes who discovered new protein fragments in semen that enhance the ability of HIV to infect new cells say their work could point the way to powerful new microbicides to help curb the global spread of HIV/AIDS. In research carried out four years ago, German researchers discovered that HIV transmission […]
Working with adolescent male and mature female hamsters, researchers have found that sex during adolescence can have effects on the body and the chemistry of the brain that last well into adulthood. Researchers Zachary Weil and Randy Nelson, both from Ohio State University’s Department of Neuroscience, say the findings may be applicable to understanding human […]
Depo Provera, the hormonal birth control injection, supposedly offers a convenient alternative for women who don’t want to remember to take the Pill daily. Ironically, however, new research from Arizona State University indicates that the drug may profoundly impair a person’s memory. Arizona State researchers Blair Braden and Heather Bimonte-Nelson have published their findings in […]
Rodents exposed to a common serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant just before and after birth exhibited brain abnormalities and behaviors – such as novelty avoidance and social impairment – commonly associated with autism. The research suggests that taking antidepressants during pregnancy might be one factor contributing to the dramatic rise in autism spectrum disorders in […]
