Endocrine Regulation of Behavior

This chapter shall devote special attention in this chapter to the relatively new development of interest in adrenocortical hormones and non­ reproductive behavior in mammals.

Abstract

The long history of mankind's obsession with love potions on the one hand, and of the practice of human and animal castration on the other, tes­ tifies to the longstanding belief in chemical control of sexual and agressive behavior patterns. It also illustrates the combination of fact and fantasy which has characterized such beliefs. While no scientific justification has yet been found for the reputed aphrodisiac properties of the various drugs which have been used to stimulate libido, there is no question of the efficacy of the gonadal hormones in this respect-androgen s in the human, and both an­ drogens and ovarian hormones in animal species. As to aggressive behavior, the ancients had observed that castration of bulls both pacified them and improved the quality of their meat. But only fairly recently has the relation­ ship between testicular hormones and aggressive behavior been systemati­ cally studied. Apart from various aspects of reproductive and aggressive behavior, hormones are also involved in regulating a variety of other be­ havior patterns: we shall devote special attention in this chapter to the relatively new development of interest in adrenocortical hormones and non­ reproductive behavior. We will deal primarily with work published in 1970 and the first half of 1971 and will limit our attention in general to mammals. Several reviews on different aspects of the field have appeared