Sex Differences in Neurotransmitter Systems

Vries, Geert J. De

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2826.1990.tb00385.x

Cited by 199 publications

(67 citation statements)

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“…The mPOA, in particular, exhibits a wide variety of neurochemical and structural sexual dimorphisms that are thought to underlie elements of male reproductive behavior (reviewed in De Vries, 1990;Simerly, 2002). As such, sex differences in the effects of estrogen within this area may arise from estrogen actions upon different numbers or types of ER- expressing cells in the two sexes.…”

Section: Sex Differences In Rapid Estrogen Actions Upon Reproductive mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, estrogen increased pCREB levels in the medial septum and CA1 but not in the preoptic area or ventromedial nucleus of male mice. To evaluate the extent to which non-genomic estrogen actions may be sexually differentiated within a single neuronal phenotype, dual labeling immunocytochemistry was undertaken to evaluate the gonadotropin-releasing hormone ( A variety of neuronal circuits in the mammalian brain exhibit robust sex differences in structure and function (De Vries, 1990;Simerly, 2002). Hypothalamic regions such as the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and ventromedial nucleus (VMN) contain key sexually differentiated neuronal circuits responsible for controlling reproductive function (Pfaff et al, 1994;Flanagan-Cato, 2000;Simerly, 2002).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…A variety of neuronal circuits in the mammalian brain exhibit robust sex differences in structure and function (De Vries, 1990;Simerly, 2002). Hypothalamic regions such as the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and ventromedial nucleus (VMN) contain key sexually differentiated neuronal circuits responsible for controlling reproductive function (Pfaff et al, 1994;Flanagan-Cato, 2000;Simerly, 2002).…”

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Major sex differences in non-genomic estrogen actions on intracellular signaling in mouse brain in vivo

Ábrahám

Herbison

2005

Neuroscience

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Abstract-Rapid effects of estrogen have now been identified throughout the brain but the extent to which these actions may be different in males and females is unknown. Previous work has shown that estrogen rapidly phosphorylates Ser 133 of cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) through a non-genomic mechanism. Using this indicator, we have examined here whether non-genomic estrogen actions occur in a sexually dimorphic manner within the adult brain. Male and female mice were gonadectomized and 3 weeks later treated with 17-␤-estradiol or vehicle for 1 h prior to perfusion fixation and subsequent CREB and phosphorylated CREB (pCREB) immunostaining of brain sections. The numbers of cells expressing CREB immunoreactivity were not altered by estrogen treatment or different in males and females in any of the brain regions examined. However, estrogen treatment significantly (P<0.05) increased pCREB-immunoreactive cell numbers in the medial preoptic area, ventrolateral division of the ventromedial nucleus, medial septum and CA1 region of the hippocampus of female mice. In contrast, estrogen increased pCREB levels in the medial septum and CA1 but not in the preoptic area or ventromedial nucleus of male mice. To evaluate the extent to which non-genomic estrogen actions may be sexually differentiated within a single neuronal phenotype, dual labeling immunocytochemistry was undertaken to evaluate the gonadotropin-releasing hormone ( A variety of neuronal circuits in the mammalian brain exhibit robust sex differences in structure and function (De Vries, 1990;Simerly, 2002). Hypothalamic regions such as the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and ventromedial nucleus (VMN) contain key sexually differentiated neuronal circuits responsible for controlling reproductive function (Pfaff et al., 1994;Flanagan-Cato, 2000;Simerly, 2002). For example, the GnRH neurons within the mPOA represent the final output neurons of the network involved in regulating gonadal function (Levine, 2003). Whereas estrogen stimulates a massive increment in GnRH secretion to induce ovulation in the female mammal, it has no similar effect in males (Herbison, 1998). In addition, clear sex differences have been observed in the effects of estrogen on networks involved in regulating male and female sexual behavior (Pfaff et al., 1994;Flanagan-Cato, 2000). Interestingly, these sexually differentiated actions of estrogen are not confined solely to circuits involved in the modulation of reproductive function but also exist within brain regions such as the hippocampus (Woolley, 2000;Leranth et al., 2003).The mechanisms underlying the sexually dimorphic effects of estrogen on brain function in the adult are unclear. As one possibility, estrogen may regulate different numbers or populations of cells within a specific brain region of males and females. This is likely to be the case for the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area and the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus in the rat (for review see Simerly, 2002) where major sex differences in neuronal n...

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Section: Sex Differences In Rapid Estrogen Actions Upon Reproductive mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Major sex differences in non-genomic estrogen actions on intracellular signaling in mouse brain in vivo

Ábrahám

Herbison

2005

Neuroscience

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“…Sex differences in the regulation of the stress response, in general, and the HPA axis, in particular, as well as sexual dimorphism of the immune/inflammatory reaction, including susceptibility to autoimmune disease, have been described in various species, including the mouse, rat, and human (18)(19)(20)(21)(22). These studies have suggested that gonadal steroids interact in a regulatory manner with CNS and peripheral substrates of the stress response, including the HPA axis, and the immune/ inflammatory reaction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of direct estrogenic regulation of human corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression. Potential implications for the sexual dimophism of the stress response and immune/inflammatory reaction.

Vamvakopoulos

Chrousos²

1993

J. Clin. Invest.

408

206

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Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays major roles in coordination of the stress response and regulation of the immune/inflammatory reaction, two important functions associated with sexual dimorphism. Two overlapping segments of the 5' flanking region of the human (h) CRH gene, the proximal 0.9 kb (containing two perfect half-palindromic estrogenresponsive elements IEREsI) and the 2.4 kb (including the former and containing two additional perfect half-palindromic EREs), were examined for their ability to confer estrogen-mediated transcriptional enhancement to a homologous or heterologous promoter. The level of estrogen-induced transactivation by the 0.9-and 2.4-kb segments was determined by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase analysis in CV-1 cells cotransfected with estrogen receptor (ER) cDNA expression plasmids, and found to be respectively -10% and 20% of that of the strongly estrogen-responsive Xenopus vitellogenin A2 enhancer. Gel retardation and immunoprecipitation demonstrated specific association between the perfect half-palindromic EREs of hCRH gene and the DNA binding domain of hER in vitro. These findings may constitute the basis of sexual dimorphism in the expression of the CRH gene in the central nervous system and periphery, and might shed light in existing gender differences in stress response and immune regulation. (J. Clin. Invest.

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“…In the MPOA and the VMH, synaptic connectivity, size and shape of neuroanatomical nuclei are sexually dimorphic and are modified by neonatal steroids (reviewed in Gorski, 1990;Tobet and Fox, 1992). In some cases, monoaminergic systems are involved (DeVries, 1990), for example, 5HT in the VMN (Borisova et al, 1996), and catecholamines in the periventricular nucleus of the preoptic area, or the locus coeruleus. In these areas, but not in the A1 noradrenaline cell group, the number of cells and fibres containing TH is higher in female rats than in males or in females treated neonatally by androgen.…”

Section: Effect Of Steroids On the Development And Plasticity Of Monomentioning

confidence: 99%

Steroid control of monoamines in relation to sexual behaviour

Fabre-Nys

1998

Reviews of Reproduction

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Sexual behaviour can be described in terms of two components. The first, 'appetitive' component includes the search for a partner and the display of courtship behaviour that stimulates the partner's sexual interest. This component is linked to the degree of motivation. The second, 'consummatory' component includes the display of behaviour that will lead to mating: adoption of a correct posture by the female and intromission and ejaculation by the male. In males, the intensity of sexual behaviour is most often measured by the latencies and the frequencies with which these behaviours occur. However, these parameters provide only a partial insight into sexual behaviour and, in particular, its motivational aspects. Specific methods have been developed to study particular motivational aspects in males (Everitt, 1990). In females, the term 'consummatory' is rarely used and the two components are labelled proceptivity and receptivity after Beach (1976). Proceptive behaviours are the expression of the appetitive component and depend, at least in part, on the motivational state of the animal. Sexual receptivity consists of those behaviours that allow copulation and, in most species, includes immobility. In cats and laboratory rodents, the female adopts a posture called lordosis which is a reflexive arching of the back. This posture is the most commonly used parameter to quantify female sexual behaviour, but the fact that it is only a sign of receptivity with no obvious motivational component and that it is not necessarily applicable to all species is sometimes ignored.Although it is simplistic, the view of two distinct components having different neuroendocrine bases has proved to be very useful in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying sexual behaviour (Everitt, 1990).The probability of sexual behaviour being displayed by an adult animal in response to the appropriate stimulation is modulated by gonadal steroids. The importance of this steroid modulation varies markedly since males and females in several species, including humans and some other primates, show sexual behaviour after gonadectomy (Dixson, 1983). However, even in these species, steroids have been shown to modulate expression of some aspects of sexual behaviour (Bancroft, 1984).In general, sexual behaviour is sexually dimorphic: males and females have different behavioural repertoires and prefer to engage in sexual behaviour with a partner of the opposite sex. Little is known about the sexual differentiation of partner preference but the development of the sexual behavioural repertoire has been shown, in most species, to depend on the presence of gonadal testosterone, acting directly or through its metabolite oestradiol, during the embryonic or perinatal period (Baum, 1979). Male sexual behaviourMale sexual behaviour is generally displayed when testosterone has been present early in life, as in genetic males. In some species, females also display some elements of male behaviour spontaneously, but generally these patterns are expressed only after an e...

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Sex Differences in Neurotransmitter Systems

Cited by 199 publications

References 172 publications

Major sex differences in non-genomic estrogen actions on intracellular signaling in mouse brain in vivo

Major sex differences in non-genomic estrogen actions on intracellular signaling in mouse brain in vivo

Evidence of direct estrogenic regulation of human corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression. Potential implications for the sexual dimophism of the stress response and immune/inflammatory reaction.

Steroid control of monoamines in relation to sexual behaviour

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