back to article 'Sex and the female brain are connected' - shock discovery

In a discovery sure to stir intense discussion, scientists in Canada say they have discovered a powerful chemical signal embedded in semen which acts directly upon the brains of female mammals - apparently including humans. In a just-released announcement arrestingly headlined "Team unlocks link between sex and the female …

COMMENTS

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I've soooooo many comments

    ...... but none of them appropriate :(

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      So having

      So having a vasectomy DOES make a difference!

      She lied to me.........

      1. John H Woods Silver badge

        Re: So having

        Having a vasectomy doesn't stop semen production - just means there's no sperm in it.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Vasectomy

        Not if the chemical in question is not produced in the testes, but in the bits the other side of the cut-and-tie.

        1. This post has been deleted by its author

        2. John H Woods Silver badge

          Re: Vasectomy

          What's produced in the 'bits the other side', also known as 'the balls' are the spermatozoa. The article states the chemical is in the semen, not the sperm, and I would be surprised if it were otherwise.

          Still, there may be a research programme to find out ...

          1. Grikath
            Boffin

            Re: Vasectomy

            The hormone in question is not produced in the testes, but in glands that are located *well* past the cutoff point in an ordinary vasectomy, even past the prostrate. It's in the post on the uni of Saskatchewan page.

            So a vasectomy would make no difference whatshowever as far as this effect is concerned.

            1. Steve Knox
              Coat

              Re: Vasectomy

              ...even past the prostrate.

              Context-checker lying down on the job, eh?

              1. Mephistro
                Coat

                Re: Vasectomy

                Could be a portmanteau describing a prostrated prostate.

            2. Dredd
              Headmaster

              Re: Vasectomy

              PROSTATE... ~STATE... one 'R' in that word, and it's immediately after P.

              Sorry, but in my daily job (Emergency Medicine) I hear "ProstRate" too many times, usually from the same people who wander in with wads of printout from homeopathy websites. Causes immediate loathing. Fucking learn to talk.

              I'm done.

              1. Andrew Moore

                Re: Vasectomy

                you should just go 'Prostrate? Okay then. KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!'

            3. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Vasectomy

              So let me get this straight, the University of Saskatchewan have taken some poor sucker's glands, and ... posted them? So they're lost somewhere in the mailing system of Saskatchewan? That is a long way from the normal cutoff point, you're right, I'm not surprised that a vasectomy made no difference.

    2. Richard Wharram
      Paris Hilton

      Re: I've soooooo many comments

      Does it matter which bit of a lady the semen is deposited in?

      Do they get different emotions for each 'place'?

      1. Andy 73 Silver badge

        Re: I've soooooo many comments

        I should imagine that many places result in the emotion known as anger, and a couple might result in hilarity. Good luck on that particular experiment.

      2. Scorchio!!
        Happy

        Re: I've soooooo many comments

        "Does it matter which bit of a lady the semen is deposited in?

        Do they get different emotions for each 'place'?"

        Although I cannot give a citation for this, being a long way from access to my library or my study, IIRC it is the case that oral semen has been found to apparently have a good effect where depression is concerned. It is also the case that women who have eaten celery before 'full' oral sex report that semen tastes sweet. Just in case you needed to know this. They'll thank you for it. I know.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I've soooooo many comments

      "So darling, you see, it's crucially important I Jiz on your face or your chance of having babies will be reduced and scientists have proven you will enjoy sex with me less."

  2. FunkyEric
    Paris Hilton

    Well it has always seemed to me that the more you shag them, the more they love you. I guess there might be a psychological element in that it makes them feel wanted ;-)

    Paris Hilton, well.......

    1. Captain Save-a-ho
      Coat

      The more you shag them?

      Not married, eh? Keep up the good work, but lose the "it makes them feel wanted" bit. People will start to wonder about your proclivities, otherwise.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So sperm acts on their brains gets a female turned on, ok.

    So firstly how do we get past the headaches and secondly, the use of condoms pretty much negates this.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Inappropriate but...

      The reason they look bored is not because because of the male performance, it's because the insistence on condoms prevents them getting the chemical to turn them on.

      Thank God, I can get rid of all those how to please a woman books......

      1. Tim Worstal

        Re: Inappropriate but...

        There has actually been some research on this. Women who shag with the use of condoms seem to be rather more pissed off about life than those who shag without them.

        Not conclusive of course, for the next stage of the research would be to find out how pissed off women get about the STDs and pregnancies that non-condom use might lead to.

        1. Velv
          Boffin

          Re: Inappropriate but...

          The research revealed a psychological element about reproduction, with unprotected sex carrying the real potential for reproduction, while one major point of protected sex is to minimise the reproduction. Subconsciously most females still have the base requirement to reproduce.

          I'm fairly sure it was a reg article that revealed this last time.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Inappropriate but...

          "Women who shag with the use of condoms seem to be rather more pissed off about life than those who shag without them."

          Pissed off enough to demand that a foreign government extradite an ex-lover, throw him in jail and/or turn him over to Cheney^H^H^H^H^H^H Jack Bauer?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Clearly to get past the headache "has a powerful effect in all mammals on all nervous tissues including those of the brain" - you apply it directly to the brain - either as a Vicks Sinus Spray, or into the ear. Both should apparently ease the headache.

      1. Andus McCoatover
        Windows

        Into the ear???

        Made me chuckle. Once, years ago, in the Sunday Times Crossword there was a clue:

        "Heard of a sexual deviation?" (5,2,4,4)

        Answer was "Prick up your ears"...Most of us in the pub. doing the crossword got it within a minute.....

        1. Andrew Moore

          Re: Into the ear???

          I remember a film that came out years ago about the life of Joe Orton called Prick Up Your Ears. I like to imagine the letter E being blown off in high winds and being replaced by a workman, who after reading the review for the film, accidentally puts the replacement E on the wrong end of the word.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      How do we get it into their brain?

      As above.

  4. Grikath
    Devil

    Scientific proof stating us males are not the only ones that have the fiddly bits <--> brain link.

    That'll be a big crush to militant feminism.

  5. Grikath
    Pint

    Afterthought

    and dammit... the timing of this article is all WRONG... Should have been a friday.. ;)

    1. Thomas 4

      Re: Afterthought

      And not one person as commented on the fact that this article is in a journal called P NAS?

      1. Figgus
        Coffee/keyboard

        Re: Afterthought

        For the love of all that is holy, they need to allow us to upvote this comment multiple times.

        That's Mountain Dew on my keyboard, thanks.

  6. LinkOfHyrule
    Joke

    I've met one the scientists involved in this...

    I shook his hand and it was all sticky for some reason!

  7. Bob Vistakin
    Pint

    Scousers knew this all along

    Come on, Ed.

  8. TrishaD

    @FunkyEric

    Only if you're any good at it.....

  9. Pascal Monett Silver badge
    Joke

    Must. Resist. Mentioning. Black. Snake. Moan.

    Dang, blew it again.

  10. Rentaguru
    Coat

    so....

    those that spit rather than swallow loose out on my contribution to their happiness!

    just getting a hankie to wipe the spit off!

    1. John H Woods Silver badge

      Re: so....

      If that were the case, surely it wouldn't work 'as intended' - females must just need to be exposed to it, not to actually ingest it. Unless the sexual antics of llamas and cows are more varied than I understand them to be.

      1. Rentaguru

        Re: so....

        it seems your experience with cows and llamas is somewhat more than mine!

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: so....

        Well, LLama's would defnitely spit, and not swallow ....

        1. Andus McCoatover
          Joke

          Re: so....

          Mr. and Mrs. Whale are out on the ocean, when they espy a ship. "Let's sink it!!!"

          OK, they fill up with air and release under the ship from their blow-holes. Water boyancy departs, boat sinks.

          Mr. Whale: "Shall we eat the crew?"

          Mrs. Whale: "Look, I do blow jobs, but I don't swallow sea men".

          (Groan!)

      3. This post has been deleted by its author

      4. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Scorchio!!
      Thumb Up

      Re: so....

      "so....

      those that spit rather than swallow loose out on my contribution to their happiness!

      just getting a hankie to wipe the spit off!"

      Indeed and, as the saying went, 'mean women suck, nice women swallow'. I'm just saying.

  11. Joro
    Trollface

    Wonder how did they applied it

    The article doesn't say how did they administer the ... drug.

    On the practical side, it's a bit exausting technique, as on the first iteration males will still have to rely on old fashioned techniques ...

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I always knew that basting myself in man fat before going clubbing worked.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: man fat

      1. Gross, yet...

      2. Hilarious.

      Well done sir (or madam, if you're a lesbian)

    2. Scorchio!!
      Meh

      "I always knew that basting myself in man fat before going clubbing worked."

      Some idiot wrote a novel called 'wetlands', which effectively was about her juices. Apparently the author used to smear them behind her ears to make herself more attractive to men. It was reviewed in the Grauniad, of course. ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/feb/07/charlotte-roche-wetlands-lucy-ellmann )

  13. Tom 7

    A purely mendacious report

    designed to annoy catholics.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Does this hormone affect men?

    Directly?

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    May I offer

    My missus as a "control" subject, having declined the benefits of my Gentleman's Relish for some time...

    1. Aaron Em

      If it resembles relish, i.e., chutney --

      -- then I don't blame her for declining! Perhaps you should go and get yourself seen to, sir.

      1. Havin_it
        Mushroom

        @Aaron Em

        >Perhaps you should go and get yourself seen to, sir.

        That's exactly hat he's been trying to do, you insensitive clod!

  16. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge
    Coat

    So let me get this straight. A female's partner possesses a chemical that causes her to ovulate. A rapist's semen won't contain this chemical, so she won't get pregnant.

    Provided the female is a llama.

    Tod Akin, we know your secret sir.

  17. GitMeMyShootinIrons
    Joke

    Well...

    This explains why I'm such a sexual Tyranosaurus!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Well...

      The last time you got any, you were hit by an enormous rock?

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    Obviously...

    I mean, where else would the comment "Not today honey, I've got a bit of a headache...." have come from? ;-)

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Is this the same chemical they've been fussing about before and only occasionally mention is found in several foodstuffs including evening primrose oil?

    1. Richard Wharram

      Ew

      I'm not eating in your restaurant :/

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Really dull comment re synchrotrons.

    A synchrotron is not really an atom smasher. It accelerates charged particles, typically electrons, to near the speed of light then forces them to turn tight corners, producing very intense, tightly focussed, beams of coherent light. It is this light, ranging from infrared to x-ray, that is used to investigate the structure of the target.

    Please fill in your own "must get out more" comment.

    1. ElectricFox
      Headmaster

      Re: Really dull comment re synchrotrons.

      Synchrotron light sources, such as used in this study, are not atom smashers. However, atom smashers can be synchrotrons in the case of LHC and Tevatron, for example. Apart from that, I was going to post exactly the same thing, hence the upvote.

      The big atom smashers grab all the headlines and news whilst synchrotron light sources (also called radiation facilities) can often be overlooked. The amazing thing about these installations is how you can have well over 50 beamlines tangential to the ring all conducting their own experiments around the one light source. It really is a fantastic tool for science and engineering and well worth a visit to see the wide range of research conducted with it.

  21. Muscleguy
    Boffin

    Ho hum

    That stimulation with sex and semen is needed for some animals to ovulate is hardly new. Cats need several matings before they will ovulate for eg. That OIF and NGF are the same molecule is the new bit. However, you need to demonstrate.

    1. That delivery by semen results in it being taken up and transported to the brain. That it's there is not enough.

    2. That the dose is sufficient to have a significant effect.

    1. Richard Wharram
      WTF?

      Re: Dosage

      Well how much do I need to put in my cat to make it happy?

      Honestly I think he'll be pissed off rather than blissed out.

    2. Grikath
      Boffin

      Re: Ho hum

      1) That has already been established.

      The effects of "both" substances were more or less known, and they do pass the blood-brain barrier, as they *must* to have an effect on wiggly bits like the hypothalamus and hypofysis when introduced during intercourse...

      The "surprising" bit is that it's actually the same molecule that has effects in different parts of the brain.

      Then again, if you consider things like g-protein coupled receptors even this is not really that surprising.

      2) Given the likely mechanism of signal propagation (based on the pathway of similar substances), and the fact that you're talking about a behavioral response which is critical to species propagation the actual concentration needed to trigger the response may well be extremely low (<1ppb in blood plasma), especially for the species that ovulate "on demand"/ "in season", possibly a bit higher in continuous cycle mammals like us.

      A "significant" effect would depend on the species and the way it's sexlife is organised, including things like secondary signals which may or may not increase/inhibit receptiveness of the receptors for this specific molecule in the target cells.

      No-one ever said biology was easy, especially when you're dealing with hormones and neural networks... ;)

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Nerve growth factor

    "but darling, it'll help you grow more nerves to your taste buds and that will in turn, make chocolate taste even better. "

  23. Herby
    Happy

    And...

    This is news?

    Be around a female of the species and it DOES become obvious!

  24. ravenviz Silver badge
    Paris Hilton

    Right, that's my next chat-up line sorted.

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So you really can f*ck their brains out

    had to be said by someone.

    goes some way to explain why keeping them "topped up" helps avoid miscarriage and morning sickness

  26. heyrick Silver badge

    "Sperm chemical, NOT cars or money, rules ladies' hormones"

    Cars and money? I thought that was us blokes...

  27. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    God's a PHB?

    So filling a women with sperm releases the chemicals to put her in the mood?

    Sounds like those designs cooked up by architecture committees - "the server contacts all the clients and tells them that it's ready for connections"

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

  28. EvanPyle
    Unhappy

    Child support and a semen donation?

  29. Paul Hovnanian Silver badge
    Paris Hilton

    Intelligence Transfer?

    So sex stimulates the female brain. Years of anecdotal evidence suggests that sex interferes with male mental processes. So this activity might be zero sum.

    Paris, saying "Huh?" because she hasn't had me. Yet.

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So then....

    ...the key to making her want sex is to get some semen into her. Brilliant! No more lonely nights.*

    *There may be a slight flaw with this plan.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: So then....

      I see what you mean. Maybe waving one's private parts upwind of one's intended would help to get the ba...spherical object rolling?

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So,

    the application of semen leads to enhanced nerve growth and, one supposes, improved sensitivity in the affected areas.

    Is this why there seem to be more male pianists and surgeons than female?

    1. Richard Altmann
      Coffee/keyboard

      Re: So,

      u o m a keyboard and the pint

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Happy

        Re: So,

        I was beginning to wonder if the joke was a bit too obscure :)

        Here, have an 'IT WORKS' flexible emergency keyboard. Just right for those occasions when you keyboard has been put out of action by inappropriate fluids.

        The pint will have to be 'Sainsburys Finest, I'm afraid.

  32. This post has been deleted by its author

  33. Doug 3

    let me guess, the chemical is also found in chocolate

    it's funny how a chocolate here or there enhances the female mood.

    As for the condoms, if there's anything to these findings, look for the new version with ribs and doped with the OIF/NGF. And new lubes too. Go science!

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I must confess, I may have skimmed over parts of the article by accident because from the second I read the headline I was wanting to read the comments.

    Gentlemen, you did not disappoint.

  35. Freshp2
    Coat

    I recently heard Oral sex is curing morning sicness.........I almost wanted to remarry.

    1. Scorchio!!
      Happy

      "I recently heard Oral sex is curing morning sicness.........I almost wanted to remarry."

      Yes, this too was the conclusion of one researcher after analysing his data. See my comments on celery. You know it makes sense.

    2. sisk

      Semen ingested orally is a great cure for all kinds of nausea supposedly. I've been told by a gay friend that it even works in cases of stomach flu. I'll take his word for it and stick to flat cola for my nausea cure.

  36. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    what about the boys

    I've heard that gentlemen can also exchange supplies of this chemical between each other. Does it explain why gay guys are so happy and lesbians so miserable?

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    PNAS

    *snigger*

  38. ChaosFreak
    Devil

    What a Mind Fuck

    Gives new meaning to the phrase "Mind Fuck"...

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Happiest folk in the UK?

    the Pearly(-necklaced) Queens - they sing and dance about don't they?

  40. amanfromearth
    Coat

    Aha

    Finally this explains why Lesbians always look so f-ing miserable.

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