The cooperative sex: Sexual interactions among female bonobos are linked to increases in oxytocin, proximity and coalitions

In some species habitual same-sex sexual behavior co-occurs with high levels of intra-sexual alliance formation, suggesting that these behaviors may be linked. We tested for such a link by comparing behavioral and physiological outcomes of sex with unrelated same- and opposite-sex partners in female bonobos (Pan paniscus). We analyzed behavioral outcomes following 971 sexual events involving n = 19 female and n = 8 male adult and sub-adult members of a wild, habituated bonobo community. We additionally collected n = 143 urine samples before and after sexual interactions to non-invasively measure oxytocin (OT), which modulates female sexual behavior and facilitates cooperation in other species. The majority of sexual events (65%) consisted of female same-sex genito-genital rubbing (or GG-rubbing). Female dyads engaged in significantly more sexual interactions than did inter-sexual dyads, and females were more likely to remain within close proximity to their partners following GG-rubbing. Females also exhibited greater increases in urinary OT following GG-rubbing compared with copulations, indicating a physiological basis for increased motivation to cooperate among females. The frequency of coalitionary support among non-kin was positively predicted by the frequency of sexual interactions for female as well opposite-sex dyads, although coalitionary support tended to be more frequent among females. The emergence of habitual same-sex sexual behavior may have been an important step in the evolution of cooperation outside of kinship and pair-bonds in one of our closest phylogenetic relatives

Adolescent Brain Development and the Risk for Alcohol and Other Drug Problems

Dynamic changes in neurochemistry, fiber architecture, and tissue composition occur in the adolescent brain. The course of these maturational processes is being charted with greater specificity, owing to advances in neuroimaging and indicate grey matter volume reductions and protracted development of white matter in regions known to support complex cognition and behavior. Though fronto-subcortical circuitry development is notable during adolescence, asynchronous maturation of prefrontal and limbic systems may render youth more vulnerable to risky behaviors such as substance use. Indeed, binge-pattern alcohol consumption and comorbid marijuana use are common among adolescents, and are associated with neural consequences. This review summarizes the unique characteristics of adolescent brain development, particularly aspects that predispose individuals to reward seeking and risky choices during this phase of life, and discusses the influence of substance use on neuromaturation. Together, findings in this arena underscore the importance of refined research and programming efforts in adolescent health and interventional needs

An assessment of prevalence of Type 1 CFI rare variants in European AMD, and why lack of broader genetic data hinders development of new treatments and healthcare access

PurposeAdvanced age-related macular degeneration (AAMD) risk is associated with rare complement Factor I (FI) genetic variants associated with low FI protein levels (termed ‘Type 1’), but it is unclear how variant prevalences differ between AMD patients from different ethnicities.MethodsCollective prevalence of Type 1 CFI rare variant genotypes were examined in four European AAMD datasets. Collective minor allele frequencies (MAFs) were sourced from the natural history study SCOPE, the UK Biobank, the International AMD Genomics Consortium (IAMDGC), and the Finnish Biobank Cooperative (FINBB), and compared to paired control MAFs or background population prevalence rates from the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD). Due to a lack of available genetic data in non-European AAMD, power calculations were undertaken to estimate the AAMD population sizes required to identify statistically significant association between Type 1 CFI rare variants and disease risk in different ethnicities, using gnomAD populations as controls.ResultsType 1 CFI rare variants were enriched in all European AAMD cohorts, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging between 3.1 and 7.8, and a greater enrichment was observed in dry AMD from FINBB (OR 8.9, 95% CI 1.49–53.31). The lack of available non-European AAMD datasets prevented us exploring this relationship more globally, however a statistical association may be detectable by future sequencing studies that sample approximately 2,000 AAMD individuals from Ashkenazi Jewish and Latino/Admixed American ethnicities.ConclusionsThe relationship between Type 1 CFI rare variants increasing odds of AAMD are well established in Europeans, however the lack of broader genetic data in AAMD has adverse implications for clinical development and future commercialisation strategies of targeted FI therapies in AAMD. These findings emphasise the importance of generating more diverse genetic data in AAMD to improve equity of access to new treatments and address the bias in health care.</p

Gender Identity, Hormone Therapy, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Transgender individuals represent a medically underserved and under researched population. There is a growing number of studies illustrating the importance of hormone therapy treatments in transgender men and women to assist ameliorating gender dysphoria and promoting well-being. However, the cardiovascular effects of these hormones are controversial. Large longitudinal epidemiological studies of cardiovascular event outcomes in these populations do not exist. In addition, studies of cardiovascular complications of transgender hormone therapy are limited in number and complicated by poor control of medication regimen, presence of gender confirming surgery, use of prescribed medications for prevailing conditions, and alcohol, smoking or illicit substance use, and comorbidities, such as HIV infection. The following provides an overview of current guidelines for hormone therapy regimens used by transgender individuals, as well as what is known about the use of exogenous hormones on the cardiovascular system and cardiovascular disease risk. Several gaps in our understanding of the cardiovascular effects of endogenous and exogenous hormones in treated transgender individuals are identified, which provide direction for future study