Similarities and differences between female and male sexual functions and dysfunctions

Men and women have 23 pairs of chromosomes. They share 22 of them. In physiologic conditions they differ systematically in only one pair, the sexual one. Females (normally) have what is called an “XX” on the 23rd pair of chromosomes, whereas males have an “XY” pair. The striking sexual differences –anatomic, functional, reproductive, psychological and sociocultural - between men and women depends on or derive from the difference in one critical chromosome out of 46, which contains on average 2% of all the genetic code. Biochemical, neuroendocrine, hormonal, vascular, nervous, and metabolic similarities that both sexes share, based on the common 45 chromosomes and related biologically determined similarities contributing to the secret sexual symmetry between genders, is reviewed. Furthermore the role of the genetically determined brain and somatic gender dymorphism, contributing to gender sexual differences is analyzed. Neuroplasticity and psychoplasticity are praised as basic mechanisms that bridge together and re-shape the individual biological and psychological world through the continuous interaction with the environment. Enhancement of sexual differences in behaviour, meaning of, and motivation to sex by cultural constructs, by religious and social dynamics, and the continuous interaction of each person with a usually role-polarized society during the whole life span will be finally acknowledged. To contribute to a better understanding of the shared biological sexual similarities between genders and their dialectic and continuous relation with biological and socioculturally related sexual differences is the ultimate goal of this introductory article and the following papers of the series.