Psychologist Beatriz Lara Fontes, a postgraduate student at the Center for Brain Research (CiCe) of the Veracruzana University, studies brain activity in the cerebellum regarding sexual behavior, in order to locate the specific areas associated to it. The research is specifically focused at the intermediate layer, also called Purkinje layer, which sends all the information integrated and processed at the cerebellum, serving as the only output for information.
This research will allow obtaining accurate information about the role of the cerebellum in the processes of sexual behavior, specifically in the Purkinje layer, of great importance in cerebellar circuitry.
“In my work, we intend to show that there is a possible correlation between the activation pattern of the Purkinje cell layer and the execution of sexual behavior, from the appetitive to the consummatory phases. Being able to obtain information about these processes gives us a clear idea of cerebellar plasticity, learning and also the long-term depression that occurs when animals are subjected to sexual behavior, “explained Lara Fontes.
In an interview with the Information Agency Conacyt, she said that there is little information about the correlation between the cerebellum and sexual behavior, although this brain structure is one of the most important regions. The cerebellum is considered substantial for the central nervous system, since it has direct relation with the execution of fine movements, cognition and memory.
In preliminary results, the researchers found that the distance between Purkinje cells increases depending on the number of ejaculations performed by the animal. This modification shows that the structure plays a predominant role in the processing of information during the learning and execution of sexual behavior.
To perform the study, the researcher relied on animal models, specifically with male rats. Rodents are tested for sexual behavior and later the cerebellar tissue is processed by immunohistochemistry for the labelling of proteins. She explained that the rat cerebellum has a neuroanatomic relation very similar to that of humans, so they use these animals to make hypotheses and experiments.
Source: Agencia Informativa CONACYT
