The development of male-oriented behavior in rams.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of animal (sheep) research without systematic review methodology.
PubMed 21215767 · doi:10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.12.007
What was done
This narrative review summarizes research on domestic sheep as a model for same-sex sexual partner preference, evaluating theoretical frameworks and biological evidence regarding prenatal neural organization, hormones, and genetics.
What was found
Spontaneous same-sex sexual partner preference is reported to occur in up to 8% of rams in a population. The review discusses evidence indicating that neural substrates regulating sexual partner preference are organized during prenatal development. The abstract reports no other specific numbers or quantitative measures.
Why it matters
The ram model provides a mammalian system to study the neurobiology and developmental determinants of naturally occurring, spontaneous same-sex mate preference.
Limits
The paper is a narrative review rather than a systematic synthesis, and data derive from animal research that cannot be directly generalized to humans. The abstract omits specific sample sizes, effect sizes, and quantitative statistical comparisons.
Cited by
- supports A small percentage of domestic rams exclusively court and mount other rams and show no sexual interest in females even after prolonged exposure.