I’ve just bought another book, The Male Brain by Louann Brizendine MD.
The introductory list of hormones in the male body was fun. Each hormone described has a symbolic name based on the behaviour it induces in the male. Have a read of these and see if you recognize them action.
Louanne writes:
TESTERONE – Zeus, King of the male hormones, he is dominant aggressive and all-powerful. Focused and goal oriented, he feverishly builds all that is male, including the compulsion to outrank other males in the pecking order. He drives the masculine sweat glands to produce the come hither smell of manhood – androstenedione. He activates the sex and aggression circuits, and he’s single minded in his dogged pursuit of his desired mate. Prized for his confidence and bravery, he can be convincing seducer, buy when he’s irritable, he can be the grouchiest of bears.
VASOPRESSIN – The White Knight. Vasopressin is the hormone of gallantry and monogamy, aggressively protecting and defending turf, mate, and children. Along with testosterone, he runs the male brain circuits and enhances masculinity.
MULLERIAN INHIBITING SUBSTANCE (MS) – Hercules. He’s strong, tough, and fearless. Also known as the de-feminizer, he ruthlessly strips away all that is feminine from the male. MIS builds brain circuits for exploratory behavior, suppresses brain circuits for female-type behaviors, destroys the female reproductive organs, and helps build the male reproductive organs and brain circuits.
OXYTOCIN – The Lion Tamer. With just a few cuddles and strokes, this “down, boy” hormone settles and calms even the fiercest of beasts. He increases empathic ability and builds trust circuits, romantic-love circuits, and attachment circuits in the brain. He reduces stress hormones, lowers men’s blood pressure, and plays a major role in fathers’ bonding with their infants. He promotes feelings of safety and security and is to blame for a man’s “postcoital narcolepsy.”
PROLACTIN – Mr Mom. He causes sympathetic pregnancy (couvade syndrome) in fathers-to-be and increases dads’ ability to hear their babies cry. He stimulates connections in the male brain for paternal behavior and decreases sex rive
CORTISOL – The Gladiator. When threatened, he is angry, fired up, and willing to fight for life and limb.
ANDROSTENEDIONE – Romeo. The charming seducer of women. When released by the skin as a pheromone he does more for a man’s sex appeal than any aftershave or cologne.
DOPAMINE – The Energizer. The intoxicating life of the party, he’s all about feeling good, having fun, and going for the gusto. Excited and highly motivated, he’s pumped up to win and driven to hit the jackpot again and again. But watch out – he is addictively rewarding, particularly in the rough-and-tumble play of boyhood and the sexual play of manhood, where dopamine increases ecstasy during orgasm.
ESTROGEN – The Queen. Although she doesn’t have the same power over a man as Zeus, she may be the true force behind the throne, running most of the male brain circuits. She has the ability to increase his desire to cuddle and rlate by stimulating his oxytocin.
(This is a taste of Louann Brizendine’s writing style. Her book The Female Brain is even better.)
Cheers, Anna