PSY 353: Comprehensive Notes on Stress and the Reproductive System

9/10 STRESS AND REPRODUCTION
- ​ MEN
O UNDER STRESS, THE WHOLE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM IS INHIBITED

§ EPINEPHRINE BLOCKS THE RELEASE OF HORMONES NEEDED FOR THIS
PROCESS

O CHRONIC STRESS LEADS TO INCREASED LEVELS OF CORTISOL
§ DECREASES TESTOSTERONE
§ AFFECTS SPERM PRODUCTION
§ AFFECTS SPERM MATURATION
O SAME FOR EXTREME ATHLETES?
§ ULTRA MARATHONERS OR TRIATHLETES EXPERIENCE THE SAME STRESS AS
SOLDIERS

§ TOO MUCH EXERCISE CAN MIMIC EFFECTS OF CORTISOL ON REPRODUCTION
O STRESS AND ERECTIONS
§ DECREASED BLOOD FLOW IN VESSELS CAN IMPEDE BLOOD FLOW WHERE
NEEDED (CHRONIC)

§ ANXIETY OR NERVOUSNESS BLOCKS NATURAL PARASYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY…
CAUSING ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

§ OR… ANXIETY DURING SEX SHIFTS FROM PNS TO SNS… PREMATURE
EJACULATION

O ED CAN CAUSE THE STRESS RESPONSE ALL BY ITSELF
- ​ WOMEN
O TWO HALVES OF THE CYCLE

§ FOLLICULAR PHASE
·​ HORMONES, INCLUDING ESTROGEN BUILD UP, LEADING TO
OVULATION

§ LUTEAL PHASE
·​ PROGESTERONE STIMULATES MATURATION OF UTERINE WALLS
§ UNDER STRESS, GLUCOCORTICOIDS INHIBIT BOTH PHASES
§ LEADS TO HYPOTHALAMIC AMENORRHEA (NO CYCLE) OF STRESS
·​ ALSO SEEN IN EATING DISORDERS, EXTREME ATHLETES,
DANCERS, GYMNASTS

O STRESS
§ GLUCOCORTICOIDS MAKE OVARIES LESS RESPONSIVE TO HORMONES NEEDED
·​ OVULATION DELAYED OR SHUT DOWN
§ EGGS LESS LIKELY TO IMPLANT PROPERLY