On Wed, 10 Mar 1999, Rick Froman wrote:
> A student on one of my class e-mail lists asks the following question:
>
> "what kind of impact on brain structure does sexual activity have?"
>
> I am sorry to say that I know the rat research in this area has been
> discussed on TIPS and even that the primary investigator is (or was) on
> TIPS but I am currently in the Tip of the Tongue (TOT) state regarding
> his name. Can anyone help me with my student's inquiry? I think we
> may be on the verge of a great learning moment here. Thanks in
> advance for your help.
>
I've gotta rush in on this one before our sometimes-TIPster Marc
Breedlove does (Marc, are you still out there?) and risks opprobrium
for shameless self-promotion.
Marc has recently made a start on answering this question in the neat
paper (Breedlove, 1997) which Rick is thinking of which received
widespread publicity. Marc showed that copulatory experience (Nature
doesn't like the F-word, apparently) increases the size of neurons in
a region of the spinal cord in rats.
As for shameless self-promotion, I want to say that I like when our
accomplished members of this list refer to their own work. Gives me a
frisson to be associated with them, and also a chance to tweak them
about it.
-Stephen
Reference
Breedlove, S.M. (1997) Sex on the brain. Nature, 389, 801.
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Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC
J1M 1Z7
Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
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