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The Fruit Fly Study and ...... You... Could Sexual Frustration Lead To A Shorter Life? Sexual frustration shortens lifespans, at least in fruit flies. A new study from University of Michigan researchers shows that when male fruit flies sense the pheromones of females who are ready to mate, but are then denied the opportunity to mate, they experience rapid deterioration in their ability to fend off starvation and increased susceptibility to stress – ultimately leading to shorter fruit fly lives. When male fruit flies were allowed to mate, those same physiological dynamics were partially reversed, leading to longer lifespans. The research team arrived at these findings by playing a dirty trick on the male fruit flies (aka Drosophila melanogaster). They placed the males in an environment with genetically engineered male fruit flies designed to produce female pheromones – a chemical secretion that triggers a sexual response in the opposite sex. The unsuspecting male flies reacted as any male fruit fly would, by attempting to mate with their pheromone-releasing counterparts. But since those flies were also males, the result was plenty of sexual frustration. “These data may provide the first direct evidence that aging and physiology are influenced by how the brain processes expectations and rewards,” Pletcher says. “In this case, sexual rewards specifically promoted healthy aging.” If you are wondering why sex research on fruit flies should mean anything to humans, the truth is that fruit flies have been telling us much about the human condition for decades. Fruit flies live an average of 60 days, making them an ideal candidate to tinker with factors that may lessen or increase life span. Findings about what affects fruit fly lifespans have proven true in other animal studies, including mice, which have in turned provided valuable data about factors affecting human lifespans. Also, about 75% of human diseases have a comparable match in the genome of fruit flies, which makes the insects useful genetic models for studying diseases including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s. “Our findings give us a better understanding about how sensory perception and physiological state are integrated in the brain to affect long-term health and lifespan,” added Pletcher. David DiSalvo, Contributor (From News) |
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I will write something on this aspect....because sexual health is far more than many think it is. It's both physical as well as mental.... If only we knew how much so, we'd be less inclined to make the games, turn it into a barter fest and the multitude of madness we surround it and hold it hostage unto.
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