That's an interesting field of research and there are many ways to look at
the question. Many particular brain regions are implemented when you and I
see something that we would deem "beautiful" or "attractive". Although we
may both consider various different things as beautiful or attractive the
same brain regions typically show activation. I have include a few
references to a some of my favorite papers that have been published on the
topic.
Senior C. 2003. Beauty in the brain of the beholder. Neuron. 38(4):525-8.
O'Doherty J, Winston J, Critchley H, Perrett D, Burt DM, Dolan RJ. 2003.
Beauty
in a smile: the role of medial orbitofrontal cortex in facial
attractiveness.
Neuropsychologia. 41(2):147-55
Chen AC, German C, Zaidel DW. 1997. Brain asymmetry and facial
attractiveness:
facial beauty is not simply in the eye of the beholder.
Neuropsychologia. 35
(4):471-6.
Zaidel DW, Chen AC, German C. 1995. She is not a beauty even when she
smiles:
possible evolutionary basis for a relationship between facial
attractiveness and
hemispheric specialization. Neuropsychologia. 33(5):649-55.
"Michael S." <m.sabino at comcast.net> wrote in message
news:_lWxb.250297$275.923983 at attbi_s53...
> Hello,
>> I'm an high school student that's interested in neurology.
> Are there specific portions of the brain that are responsible for
detecting
> different desirable traits in those of the opposite gender? Are different
> portions of the brain active when shown a nice ass than when shown big
> boobs?
> How is the visual association area wired to such primitive regions deep
> within the brain? Is the way that these very primitive regions interpret
> visual data different between species?
> Can you provide any mathematical models for determining desireable traits?
> (the golden ratio is the most well-known)...
> Thanks for your time.
>> -- Michael Sabino
>>