NEUROTOPIA

Where brains are always on the menu! Serving up a heaping portion of the latest neuroscience news, plus a side of social commentary expertly seasoned with action potentials and cognitive functions. Garnished with general thoughts on science, ethics, and evolution. For dessert, enjoy a sickeningly-sweet understanding of human behavior!

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Gay men's brains respond like women's????

The NY Times reports that the brains of homosexual men and straight women respond similarly when exposed to male pheromones. Specifically, an area of sexual arousal (the hypothalamus) in women's and gay men's brains is activated by an odor derived from male sweat, while in straight men it activated odor-related areas and not the hypothalamus. It seems some chemicals can be treated as a "scent" in some cases (e.g. straight men) and a pheromone in others (e.g. gay men and women).

This sort of finding demonstrates what I've been saying for years: it doesn't matter if homosexuality is genetically or environmentally determined, or both, all that matters is whether there is a biological basis for homosexual arousal/behavior. Since this appears to be the case, everyone who thinks "gay" is a lifestyle choice for everyone just might have to help themselves to a piping hot mug of "shut the hell up".

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