Drive: Neurobiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Sexual Motivation (Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience) [Paperback]

Donald W. Pfaff (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0262661470 | ISBN-13: 978-0262661478 | Publication Date: October 8, 1999 | Edition: 1

What arouses an animal or human from an inactive, nonresponsive state to a condition of activity and responsiveness? What are the biological mechanisms for this change? In this book Donald W. Pfaff focuses on a reproductive behavior typical of many female animals. Sensory stimuli from the male trigger responses in a well-defined circuit of nerve cells. At the top of the circuit, certain nerve cells receive and retain sex hormones such as estrogens and progesterone. As a result, specific genes in these nerve cells are turned on at specific times, affecting in turn the rest of the neural circuit and causing a state of sexual responsiveness.According to Pfaff, the biological bases for the most primitive human drives are largely explained by mechanisms uncovered in animal brains that have not changed in their fundamental properties over millions of years of evolution. Focusing on a single instinctive behavior, in this case the sex drive, is an important step toward understanding the biological reasons for the change from unmotivated to motivated animal behavior.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In a lucidly written book that is intellectually stimulating yet stilltrue fun, Dr. Pfaff has accomplished the seemingly impossible. He hasthoroughly reviewed research on sexual drive from genes and molecules tohuman behavior. The resulting synthesis provides fresh insights into howwe think, feel, and behave." Solomon H. Snyder , Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University

About the Author

James D. Fearon is a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University.

David D. Laitin is a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: A Bradford Book; 1 edition (October 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262661470
• ISBN-13: 978-0262661478
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,087,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lucidly written account of a fascinating subject., November 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Drive: Neurobiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Sexual Motivation (Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience) (Paperback)

"Smell-driven behaviors, dependent on sex hormones,partake of a Dionysian form of neurobiology," writes RockefellerUniversity scientist Donald W. Pfaff. "It just so happens that this ... type of neural function is necessary for reproduction." In his recently published book, "Drive - Neurobiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Sexual Motivation," Dr. Pfaff describes the interactions of hormones, hormone receptors, transcription factors, and genes, as well as the neuroanatomical circuits in which they operate, in producing the sexual differentiation and behavioral patterns necessary for procreation in mammals from rodent to homo sapiens. "Drive," declares Dr. Pfaff, "is a name for neural states that energize and direct behavior." It has two components, general (arousal) and particular (e.g., hunger, thirst, warmth, sex). The central nervous system is directly hormone-responsive, and a "neuroanatomical sex steroid receptor system" is highly conserved through evolution. The neural circuit for producing primary female reproductive behavior, and its dependence on estrogen and progesterone (as originally reported from Dr. Pfaff's laboratory) represents "the first example of the induction of a specific transcription factor key for the performance of a specific behavior." Hormonal interactions can be either competitive or synergistic. Vasopression, dependent on testosterone, "facilitates offensive aggression toward an intruder." By contrast, oxytocin, interacting with estrogen, "... is the neurohormone of affiliation and love." (Estrogen, moreover, favorably affects memory and is currently being studied for possible efficacy in Alzheimer's disease.) The book is profusely illustrated with tables, photomicrographs, and neuroanatomical diagrams. It is also clearly written and deserves to attract a large number of both professional and lay readers.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everything you ever wanted to know about rat sex, and more!, March 31, 2002

By 

DR P. Dash "drdneuro" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drive: Neurobiological and Molecular Mechanisms of Sexual Motivation (Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience) (Hardcover)

This book is mainly about Pfaff's research into the neurobiological basis of sexual response, principally in the female rat, using the lordosis response as a model system. It is clearly written and well illustrated. The integration of hormonal and genetic influences in the context of a specific neural network is illuminating. Applications to understanding human sexuality are discussed but are limited in scope. Should be accessible to anyone with a couple of college courses in biology and physiological psychology.