Men who are always thinking about sex are sometimes referred to as ‘using the wrong head.’ But, ironically, a new study has recently revealed that the brain shares many similarities with testicles.
Relationship between sperm count and intelligence
The study by Portuguese researchers says that a man’s nether regions and his brain have a remarkable number of things in common genetically. Surprisingly, this is not the first time that scientists have suspected a similarity between these two body parts. As a matter of fact, a previous study highlighted how a quality sperm count could positively affect men’s intellect.
In this study, the researchers from the University of Aveiro analyzed the proteins in 33 types of tissue. Some of the tissues included were from the heart, cervix, intestine, placenta, and ovaries.
The researchers explain in their study, which was published in the Royal Society Open Biology journal, that the human brain has the highest number of shared proteins with testicles. But, more surprisingly, these two regions are not just similar, they are practically identical!
The study reveals that the testis contains 15,687 proteins while the human brain hosts 14,315. After analyzing and comparing them, the researchers found out that 13,442 of the proteins were similar. They also studied different genes around the body and discovered that the two organs were still similar.
Researchers note that although the brain is constantly working hard, thinking and testicles just lie around waiting for intimacy; both require a lot of energy. As a result of these high energy requirements, both are vulnerable to oxidative stress.
The study finds that to defend against this, both organs have made a blood barrier to lock out any harmful substances. The brain-blood barrier, for example. It prevents destructive elements from accessing the brain tissue. AS for the blood barrier in the testis, it is one of the essential components of male fertility.
How these similarities occurred
As for how these two very different body organs came to be so similar, researchers suspect it had something to do with speciation, a process by which new species are formed through evolution. They believe that the dame pressures of natural selection responsible for the existence of modern-day humans were also responsible for these similarities.
