Is Homosexuality biologically based? This is a question that is gaining major interest and research as the number of homosexuals is increasing. Homosexuals are defined as either males who are sexual oriented toward other males or females being sexually oriented toward other females; sexual orientation being defined as “a preference for [either] same-sex [or] opposite sex sexual attraction and attachment”, this may or may not involve intercourse (Rahman & Wilson, 2003). Researchers are on the hunt to discover whether or not homosexuality can be derived genetically from parental chromosomes or defects in the brain. In essence, brain function involves many steps in which genetic information is translated into the phenotype of a person who subsequently
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Neuroscientists, Simon LeVay accredits the anterior hypothalamus as a cause for homosexuality in respect to the brain being a “sexual organ”, as it [the brain] “undergoes sexual differentiation to match the other characteristics of sex” (Barinaga, 1991) (Gooren, 2006). The anterior hypothalamus can be referred to as “INAH (1,2,3, or 4)” for it has 4 different cell regions within in itself that can be individually studied. The brain gives evidence of sexual differences in many animals and most recently, human …show more content…
Since the hypothalamus is directly related to sexual impulses, perhaps any alteration within the hypothalamus can be said to cause or at least be correlated to homosexuality. Simon LeVay, found that the third cell group within the hypothalamus (INAH-3) was in general “twice as larger in heterosexual men as in women [and] more than twice as larger in heterosexual men than homosexual men” (Gooren, 2006). This indicates homosexual men have closer ties to women than heterosexual men. To further tests these correlations, studies have been done on rats since rats also contain a “sexually dimorphic area in their anterior hypothalamus, larger in males than in females, that governs sexual behavior” similarly to that of humans. The development of this area which is the origin of sexual impulses depends on testosterone levels prior and immediately following birth (Barinaga, 1991). This gives evidence that brain structures have an influence on
Neuroscientists, Simon LeVay accredits the anterior hypothalamus as a cause for homosexuality in respect to the brain being a “sexual organ”, as it [the brain] “undergoes sexual differentiation to match the other characteristics of sex” (Barinaga, 1991) (Gooren, 2006). The anterior hypothalamus can be referred to as “INAH (1,2,3, or 4)” for it has 4 different cell regions within in itself that can be individually studied. The brain gives evidence of sexual differences in many animals and most recently, human …show more content…
Since the hypothalamus is directly related to sexual impulses, perhaps any alteration within the hypothalamus can be said to cause or at least be correlated to homosexuality. Simon LeVay, found that the third cell group within the hypothalamus (INAH-3) was in general “twice as larger in heterosexual men as in women [and] more than twice as larger in heterosexual men than homosexual men” (Gooren, 2006). This indicates homosexual men have closer ties to women than heterosexual men. To further tests these correlations, studies have been done on rats since rats also contain a “sexually dimorphic area in their anterior hypothalamus, larger in males than in females, that governs sexual behavior” similarly to that of humans. The development of this area which is the origin of sexual impulses depends on testosterone levels prior and immediately following birth (Barinaga, 1991). This gives evidence that brain structures have an influence on