Sex, Stress and Reproductive Success (eBook)

David A. Lovejoy, Dalia Barsyte (Autoren)

eBook Download: PDF | EPUB

2011
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
978-0-470-97987-7 (ISBN)

Infos

Any events that challenge the survival of living organisms may be classified as stressors. These stressors could include, for example, lack of food, increased population pressure, predatory pressure, climatic events or in the case of humans, loss of a loved one, lack of financial security or uncertainty in the future. Although most physiological systems are affected by stress, those systems that regulate reproductive physiology and behaviour are the most sensitive. All multicellular organisms show a stress related effect on reproduction, although the more complex organisms, such as mammals, have the most complex effects.

The objective of this book is to provide a comparative analysis of the mechanisms by which stress regulates reproduction exploring the evolution of stress perceiving systems from the simplest organisms to humans. Taking an integrated approach, utilising a genes-to-environment overview, the book examines the stressors that occur at all levels of organisation. These theories are used to examine and explain human and animal reproductive behaviour and physiology under stressful conditions providing a well-written, concise introduction to this important subject.

David Lovejoy Professor of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto

Dalia Barsyte Protagenic Therapeutics Canada Inc., Canada

Inhalt

Sex, Stress and Reproductive Success 1
Table of Contents 9
About the Authors 13
Preface 15
Acknowledgements 17
1 Reproduction under safe conditions 19
1.1 Introduction 19
1.2 What is stress? 21
1.3 Reproduction and stress 25
1.4 Reproduction, stress and energy are intrinsically interrelated 27
1.5 Interaction of stress and reproduction 27
1.6 Evolution of germ cells 30
1.7 Variations in reproductive strategies 32
1.8 Evolution and complexity 33
1.9 Summary 34
2 Reproductive physiology: how is it all supposed to work together? 35
2.1 Introduction 35
2.2 Neurological regulation of reproduction 42
2.3 Reproductive cycles 44
2.4 Neurological regulation of reproduction 48
2.5 Summary 53
3 The physiology of stress: why too much stress stops us from doing things we enjoy 55
3.1 Introduction 55
3.2 Anxiety and the evolution of the stress response 56
3.3 Stress, anxiety and the nervous system 60
3.4 Autonomic nervous system 62
3.5 Complementary physiological systems 67
3.6 Integration of HPA/I components with other systems 71
3.7 Prolactin and stress 74
3.8 Summary 75
4 Reproductive and stress-associated behaviours: integrating differing needs 77
4.1 Introduction 77
4.2 An integrated approach to behavioural modulation 87
4.3 Stress and the modulation of learning and behaviour 89
4.4 Summary 91
5 Animals under strain: life is stressful 93
5.1 Introduction 93
5.2 Changing environments and stress bottlenecks 94
5.3 Environmental stress-inducing factors 95
5.4 Migration as part of a life strategy 104
5.5 Reproductive strategy and habitat erosion 106
5.6 Human industrial waste as an evolutionarily novel stressor 108
5.7 Anticipation of stress 110
5.8 Nutrition, toxins and infertility 111
5.9 Summary 113
6 Saving women and children first: protecting the progeny 115
6.1 Introduction 115
6.2 Sexual selection costs and stress 116
6.3 Male–male interaction stressors 119
6.4 Summary 124
7 Epigenetic factors in reproductive success: don’t ignore your parents 127
7.1 Introduction 127
7.2 Epigenetic actions of stress on reproduction 131
7.3 Environmental effects on epigenetic regulation 138
7.4 Summary 139
8 Species in captivity: stress in agriculture and aquaculture and effects on habitat loss 141
8.1 Introduction 141
8.2 Management of wild species 143
8.3 Species in captivity 146
8.4 Summary 149
9 A cellular understanding of stress and its relationship to reproduction 151
9.1 Introduction 151
9.2 Evolution of cell stress, defence and reproduction 152
9.3 Understanding cell death 154
9.4 Cell death and differentiation in reproductive development 157
9.5 Molecular mechanisms of cell death 158
9.6 Heat shock proteins in stress and reproduction 159
9.7 Relationship between cell division and stress pathways 159
9.8 Summary 161
10 Stress and reproduction in human society: implications for the twenty-first century 163
10.1 Introduction 163
10.2 The unique biology of humans 164
10.3 Stressors in human society 171
10.4 Living with stress 176
10.5 Summary 176
Bibliography 179
Glossary 185
Index 191

Rezensionen

"A well-written, accessible contribution in an emerging and growing field of study. Summing Up: Recommended. Academic readers, all levels." (Choice, 1 September 2011)

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 4.4.2011
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Medizin / Pharmazie ► Medizinische Fachgebiete ► Chirurgie
• Themenwelt: Medizin / Pharmazie ► Medizinische Fachgebiete ► Neurologie
• Themenwelt: Studium ► 1. Studienabschnitt (Vorklinik) ► Histologie / Embryologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Zoologie
• Schlagworte: Agriculture • Anatomie u. Physiologie • Anatomy & Physiology • animal agriculture • Behaviour • Biowissenschaften • CASE • classified • Climatic • Example • Financial • Food • Fortpflanzung • Future • humans • Landwirtschaft • Life Sciences • Living • loved one • Neuroscience • Neurowissenschaften • Organisms • physiological systems • Physiology • Real • Regulate • Reproductive • sensitive • Stress • stressors • Survival • Tierhaltung • Uncertainty
• ISBN-10: 0-470-97987-9 / 0470979879
• ISBN-13: 978-0-470-97987-7 / 9780470979877