Hum Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Sex apparently can help the brain grow, according to new findings in rats. Sexually active rodents also seemed less anxious than virgins, Princeton scientists discovered. Past findings had shown that stressful, unpleasant events could stifle brain cell growth in adults. To see if pleasant albeit stressful experiences could have the opposite effect, researchers studied the effects of sex in rats. Scientists played matchmaker by giving adult male rats access to sexually receptive females either once daily for two weeks or just once in two weeks. They also measured blood levels of stress hormones known as glucocorticoids, which researchers suspected might lie behind the detrimental effects that unpleasant experiences have on the brain. When compared with male virgins, both groups of sexually active rats had cell proliferation, or an increase in the number of neurons, in the hippocampus, a part of the brain linked with memory whose cells are especially sensitive to unpleasant experiences. The rats that had more sex also had adult brain cells grow, as well as a rise in the number of connections between brain cells. However, the rodents that only saw females once in two weeks had elevated levels of stress hormones, while the rats that had regular access showed no increase in the hormones. Sexually experienced rodents also proved less anxious than virgins, in that they were quicker to chomp down on food in unfamiliar environs. These findings suggest that while stress hormones can be detrimental to the brain, these effects can be overridden if whatever experiences triggered them were pleasant. The scientists detailed their findings online July 14 in the journal PLoS ONE. source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueMonolith Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Its also quite fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 29, 2010 Author Share Posted July 29, 2010 No wonder I am so intelligent. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted July 30, 2010 Member Share Posted July 30, 2010 Well, duh! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billmaster Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 What about Masturbation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mak123 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Its also quite fun! is it fun...? :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullie Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 rat has sex,, rat loves sex, researchers remove sex, rats develop more stress. o_o rats become anxious of handlers and being removed from mate.... etc... o_O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daftperception Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Sexually experienced rodents also proved less anxious than virgins, in that they were quicker to chomp down on food in unfamiliar environs. source happy rat = dead rat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Canuck Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Unless you f*** one's brains out. At that point the benefits are simply cancelled out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadja Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I know some 'sexually active rodents' with questionable intelligence and they are not related to rats ..... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curme Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I wonder if masturbation counts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR_Candyman Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I wonder if masturbation counts? I doubt it. It's like a quick high, and then you're soon looking for your next score. Proper sex is much more fulfilling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curme Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I doubt it. It's like a quick high, and then you're soon looking for your next score. Proper sex is much more fulfilling. I'll take your word for it. :bounce: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azusa Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 now i fear for the future of by brain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chester0 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Woman Sleeps with 1000 Men, Inspired by Sex and the City Sho She must be a genius!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloaked Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Does masturbation while thinking of extreme fantasies do the trick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreakingBenjamin Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Woman Sleeps with 1000 Men, Inspired by Sex and the City Show She must be a genius!!! :D Yeah, she must be f*ing Einstein by now :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran Posted July 30, 2010 Veteran Share Posted July 30, 2010 I'm not having sex with rats! :x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neoauld Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Woman Sleeps with 1000 Men, Inspired by Sex and the City Sho She must be a genius!!! :D Its a wonder her head hasn't exploded! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soniqstylz Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 I wonder if masturbation counts? Doubt it. Otherwise I'd be giving Hawking a run for his money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCordRm Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 I call BS. The jocks in high school got laid a lot more than I did and they were stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soniqstylz Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 I bet if he'd lived longer, Wilt Chamberlain could've solved the mysteries of life, love, and religion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost5525 Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 Yea but that got negated by getting pounded every Friday Night at the football games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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