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Ågmo A. Neuroendocrinology of sexual behavior. Int J Impot Res 2024; 36:305-311. [PMID: 36481796 DOI: 10.1038/s41443-022-00654-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
One of the consequences of sexual behavior is reproduction. Thus, this behavior is essential for the survival of the species. However, the individual engaged in sexual behavior is rarely aware of its reproductive consequences. In fact, the human is probably the only species in which sexual acts may be performed with the explicit purpose of reproduction. Most human sexual activities as well as sex in other animals is performed with the aim of obtaining a state of positive affect. This makes sexual behavior important for wellbeing as well as for reproduction. It is not surprising, then, that sexual health has become an increasingly important issue, and that knowledge of the basic mechanisms controlling that behavior are urgently needed. The endocrine control of sexual behavior has been extensively studied, and although it is established that gonadal hormones are necessary, some controversy still exists concerning which hormone does what in which species. The brain areas necessary for sexual behavior have been determined in almost all vertebrates except the human. The medial preoptic area is crucial in males of all non-human vertebrates, whereas the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus is important in females. Modulatory functions have been ascribed to several other brain areas.
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Bentefour Y, Bakker J. Stress during pubertal development affects female sociosexual behavior in mice. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3610. [PMID: 38688927 PMCID: PMC11061123 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47300-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Puberty is a crucial phase for the development of female sexual behavior. Growing evidence suggests that stress during this period may interfere with the development of sexual behavior. However, the neural circuits involved in this alteration remain elusive. Here, we demonstrated in mice that pubertal stress permanently disrupted sexual performance without affecting sexual preference. This was associated with a reduced expression and activation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl). Fiber photometry revealed that VMHvl nNOS neurons are strongly responsive to male olfactory cues with this activation being substantially reduced in pubertally stressed females. Finally, treatment with a NO donor partially restored sexual performance in pubertally stressed females. This study provides insights into the involvement of VMHvl nNOS in the processing of olfactory cues important for the expression of female sexual behavior. In addition, exposure to stress during puberty disrupts the integration of male olfactory cues leading to reduced sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yassine Bentefour
- GIGA Neurosciences-Neuroendocrinology Lab - University of Liège, Liège, 4000, Belgium.
| | - Julie Bakker
- GIGA Neurosciences-Neuroendocrinology Lab - University of Liège, Liège, 4000, Belgium.
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3
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Ågmo A. Androgen receptors and sociosexual behaviors in mammals: The limits of generalization. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105530. [PMID: 38176634 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Circulating testosterone is easily aromatized to estradiol and reduced to dihydrotestosterone in target tissues and elsewhere in the body. Thus, the actions of testosterone can be mediated either by the estrogen receptors, the androgen receptor or by simultaneous action at both receptors. To determine the role of androgens acting at the androgen receptor, we need to eliminate actions at the estrogen receptors. Alternatively, actions at the androgen receptor itself can be eliminated. In the present review, I will analyze the specific role of androgen receptors in male and female sexual behavior as well as in aggression. Some comments about androgen receptors and social recognition are also made. It will be shown that there are important differences between species, even between strains within a species, concerning the actions of the androgen receptor on the behaviors mentioned. This fact makes generalizations from one species to another or from one strain to another very risky. The existence of important species differences is often ignored, leading to many misunderstandings and much confusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
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Morishita M, Higo S, Iwata K, Ishii H. Sex and interspecies differences in ESR2-expressing cell distributions in mouse and rat brains. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:89. [PMID: 38111056 PMCID: PMC10726529 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00574-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND ESR2, a nuclear estrogen receptor also known as estrogen receptor β, is expressed in the brain and contributes to the actions of estrogen in various physiological phenomena. However, its expression profiles in the brain have long been debated because of difficulties in detecting ESR2-expressing cells. In the present study, we aimed to determine the distribution of ESR2 in rodent brains, as well as its sex and interspecies differences, using immunohistochemical detection with a well-validated anti-ESR2 antibody (PPZ0506). METHODS To determine the expression profiles of ESR2 protein in rodent brains, whole brain sections from mice and rats of both sexes were subjected to immunostaining for ESR2. In addition, to evaluate the effects of circulating estrogen on ESR2 expression profiles, ovariectomized female mice and rats were treated with low or high doses of estrogen, and the resulting numbers of ESR2-immunopositive cells were analyzed. Welch's t-test was used for comparisons between two groups for sex differences, and one-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey-Kramer test were used for comparisons among multiple groups with different estrogen treatments. RESULTS ESR2-immunopositive cells were observed in several subregions of mouse and rat brains, including the preoptic area, extended amygdala, hypothalamus, mesencephalon, and cerebral cortex. Their distribution profiles exhibited sex and interspecies differences. In addition, low-dose estrogen treatment in ovariectomized female mice and rats tended to increase the numbers of ESR2-immunopositive cells, whereas high-dose estrogen treatment tended to decrease these numbers. CONCLUSIONS Immunohistochemistry using the well-validated PPZ0506 antibody revealed a more localized expression of ESR2 protein in rodent brains than has previously been reported. Furthermore, there were marked sex and interspecies differences in its distribution. Our histological analyses also revealed estrogen-dependent changes in ESR2 expression levels in female brains. These findings will be helpful for understanding the ESR2-mediated actions of estrogen in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Morishita
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8602, Japan
| | - Shimpei Higo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8602, Japan
| | - Kinuyo Iwata
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8602, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Ishii
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8602, Japan.
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de Bournonville C, Lemoine P, Foidart JM, Arnal JF, Lenfant F, Cornil CA. Role of membrane estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in the rapid regulation of male sexual behavior. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13341. [PMID: 37806316 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The activation of male sexual behavior depends on brain estrogen synthesis. Estrogens act through nuclear and membrane receptors producing effects within hours/days or seconds/minutes, respectively. In mice, estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is the main estrogen receptor (ER) controlling the activation of male sexual behavior. Although neuroestrogens rapidly modulate mouse sexual behavior, it is not known whether these effects involve membrane ERα (mERα). This study combines two complementary approaches to address this question. C451A-ERα mice carry an ERα that cannot signal at the membrane, while estetrol (E4) is a natural estrogen acting as an agonist on nuclear ERα but as an antagonist on membrane ERα. In wild-type males, E4 decreased the number of mounts and intromissions after 10 min. In C451A-ERα males, E4 also altered sexual performance but after 30 min. E4 did not affect time spent near the female in both wild-type and C451A-ERα mice. However, regardless of genotype, the aromatase inhibitor 1,4,6-Androstatriene-3,17-dione (ATD) decreased both sexual performance and the time spent near the female after 10 and 30 min, confirming the key role of aromatization in the rapid control of sexual behavior and motivation. In conclusion, the shift in timing at which the effect of E4 is observed in mice lacking mERα suggests a role for mERα in the regulation of rapid effects of neuroestrogens on sexual performance, thus providing the first demonstration that E4 acts as an antagonist of a mER in the brain. The persisting effect of ATD on behavior in C451A-ERα mice also suggests the implication of another ER.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philippine Lemoine
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean-Michel Foidart
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Estetra SRL, an affiliate company of Mithra Pharmaceuticals, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean-François Arnal
- Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC) Equipe 4, Inserm U1297-UPS, CHU, Toulouse, France
| | - Françoise Lenfant
- Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases (I2MC) Equipe 4, Inserm U1297-UPS, CHU, Toulouse, France
| | - Charlotte A Cornil
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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Yu ZX, Zha X, Xu XH. Estrogen-responsive neural circuits governing male and female mating behavior in mice. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 81:102749. [PMID: 37421660 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Decades of knockout analyses have highlighted the crucial involvement of estrogen receptors and downstream genes in controlling mating behaviors. More recently, advancements in neural circuit research have unveiled a distributed subcortical network comprising estrogen-receptor or estrogen-synthesis-enzyme-expressing cells that transforms sensory inputs into sex-specific mating actions. This review provides an overview of the latest discoveries on estrogen-responsive neurons in various brain regions and the associated neural circuits that govern different aspects of male and female mating actions in mice. By contextualizing these findings within previous knockout studies of estrogen receptors, we emphasize the emerging field of "circuit genetics", where identifying mating behavior-related neural circuits may allow for a more precise evaluation of gene functions within these circuits. Such investigations will enable a deeper understanding of how hormone fluctuation, acting through estrogen receptors and downstream genes, influences the connectivity and activity of neural circuits, ultimately impacting the manifestation of innate mating actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Xian Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xi Zha
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 200031, China.
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Ducroq S, Duplus E, Penalva-Mousset L, Trivelloni F, L’honoré A, Chabat-Courrède C, Nemazanyy I, Grange-Messent V, Petropoulos I, Mhaouty-Kodja S. Behavior, Neural Structure, and Metabolism in Adult Male Mice Exposed to Environmentally Relevant Doses of Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate Alone or in a Phthalate Mixture. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:77008. [PMID: 37458746 PMCID: PMC10351581 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have previously shown that chronic exposure of adult male mice to low doses of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) altered male sexual behavior and induced down-regulation of the androgen receptor (AR) in the neural circuitry controlling this behavior. OBJECTIVES The cellular mechanisms induced by chronic exposure of adult male mice to low doses of DEHP alone or in an environmental phthalate mixture were studied. METHODS Two-month-old C57BL/6J males were exposed orally for 8 wk to DEHP alone (0, 5, or 50μg/kg/d) or to DEHP (50μg/kg/d) in a phthalate mixture. Behavior, dendritic density per 50-μm length, pre-/postsynaptic markers, synapse ultrastructure, and bioenergetic activity were analyzed. RESULTS Mice exposed to DEHP either alone or in a phthalate mixture differed in mating, emission of ultrasonic vocalizations, and the ability to attract receptive females in urinary preference tests from control mice. Analyses in the medial preoptic area, the key hypothalamic region involved in male sexual behavior, showed lower dendritic spine density and protein levels of glutamate receptors and differences in other postsynaptic components and presynaptic markers between the treated groups. Ultrastructural observation of dendritic synapses by electron microscopy showed comparable morphology between the treated groups. Metabolic analyses highlighted differences in hypothalamic metabolites of males exposed to DEHP alone or in a phthalate mixture compared to control mice. These differences included lower tryptophan and higher NAD+ levels, respectively, a precursor and end product of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism. The protein amounts of the xenobiotic aryl hydrocarbon receptor, one of the targets of this metabolic pathway and known negative regulator of the AR, were higher in the medial preoptic area of exposed male mice. DISCUSSION Differences in behavior of male mice exposed to environmental doses of phthalates were associated with differences in neural structure and metabolism, with possibly a key role of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism in the effects mediated by these substances. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11514.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Ducroq
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, Inserm U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine – Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Eric Duplus
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm ERL1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing – Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lucille Penalva-Mousset
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm ERL1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing – Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Francesca Trivelloni
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, Inserm U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine – Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Aurore L’honoré
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm ERL1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing – Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Caroline Chabat-Courrède
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm ERL1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing – Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Ivan Nemazanyy
- Platform for Metabolic Analyses, Structure Fédérative de Recherche Necker, Inserm US24/CNRS UMS 3633, Paris 75015, France
| | - Valérie Grange-Messent
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, Inserm U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine – Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Petropoulos
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm ERL1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing – Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sakina Mhaouty-Kodja
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, Inserm U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine – Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005 Paris, France
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Ducroq S, Duplus E, Grange-Messent V, Francesca T, Penalva-Mousset L, Petropoulos I, Mhaouty-Kodja S. Cognitive and hippocampal effects of adult male mice exposure to environmentally relevant doses of phthalates. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 323:121341. [PMID: 36828353 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
We recently showed that chronic exposure of adult male mice to environmental doses of DEHP alone or in a phthalate mixture altered blood brain barrier integrity and induced an inflammatory profile in the hippocampus. Here, we investigate whether such exposure alters hippocampus-dependent behavior and underlying cellular mechanisms. Adult C57BL/6 J male mice were continuously exposed orally to the vehicle or DEHP alone (5 or 50 μg/kg/d) or to DEHP (5 μg/kg/d) in a phthalate mixture. In the Morris water maze, males showed reduced latencies across days to find the platform in the cue and spatial reference memory tasks, regardless of their treatment group. In the probe test, DEHP-50 exposed males displayed a higher latency to find the platform quadrant. In the temporal order memory test, males exposed to DEHP alone or in a phthalate mixture were unable to discriminate between the most recently and previously seen objects. They also displayed reduced ability to show a preference for the new object in the novel object recognition test. These behavioral alterations were associated with a lowered dendritic spine density and protein levels of glutamate receptors and postsynaptic markers, and increased protein levels of the presynaptic synaptophysin in the hippocampus. Metabolomic analysis of the hippocampus indicated changes in amino acid levels including reduced tryptophan and L-kynurenine and elevated NAD + levels, respectively, a precursor, intermediate and endproduct of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism. Interestingly, the protein amounts of the xenobiotic aryl hydrocarbon receptor, a target of this metabolic pathway, were elevated in the CA1 area. These data indicate that chronic exposure of adult male mice to environmental doses of DEHP alone or in a phthalate mixture impacted hippocampal function and structure, associated with modifications in amino acid metabolites with a potential involvement of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Ducroq
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Eric Duplus
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, INSERM ERL1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing - Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Grange-Messent
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Trivelloni Francesca
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Lucille Penalva-Mousset
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, INSERM ERL1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing - Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Petropoulos
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, INSERM ERL1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing - Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Sakina Mhaouty-Kodja
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France.
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Koskinen MK, Hovatta I. Genetic insights into the neurobiology of anxiety. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:318-331. [PMID: 36828693 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety and fear are evolutionarily conserved emotions that increase the likelihood of an organism surviving threatening situations. Anxiety and vigilance states are regulated by neural networks involving multiple brain regions. In anxiety disorders, this intricate regulatory system is disturbed, leading to excessive or prolonged anxiety or fear. Anxiety disorders have both genetic and environmental risk factors. Genetic research has the potential to identify specific genetic variants causally associated with specific phenotypes. In recent decades, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have revealed variants predisposing to neuropsychiatric disorders, suggesting novel neurobiological pathways in the etiology of these disorders. Here, we review recent human GWASs of anxiety disorders, and genetic studies of anxiety-like behavior in rodent models. These studies are paving the way for a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maija-Kreetta Koskinen
- SleepWell Research Program and Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, PO Box 21, 00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Iiris Hovatta
- SleepWell Research Program and Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, PO Box 21, 00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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De Jesus AN, Henry BA. The role of oestrogen in determining sexual dimorphism in energy balance. J Physiol 2023; 601:435-449. [PMID: 36117117 PMCID: PMC10092637 DOI: 10.1113/jp279501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy balance is determined by caloric intake and the rate at which energy is expended, with the latter comprising resting energy expenditure, physical activity and adaptive thermogenesis. The regulation of both energy intake and expenditure exhibits clear sexual dimorphism, with young women being relatively protected against weight gain and the development of cardiometabolic diseases. Preclinical studies have indicated that females are more sensitive to the satiety effects of leptin and insulin compared to males. Furthermore, females have greater thermogenic activity than males, whereas resting energy expenditure is generally higher in males than females. In addition to this, in post-menopausal women, the decline in sex steroid concentration, particularly in oestrogen, is associated with a shift in the distribution of adipose tissue and overall increased propensity to gain weight. Oestrogens are known to regulate energy balance and weight homeostasis via effects on both food intake and energy expenditure. Indeed, 17β-oestradiol treatment increases melanocortin signalling in the hypothalamus to cause satiety. Furthermore, oestrogenic action at the ventromedial hypothalamus has been linked with increased energy expenditure in female mice. We propose that oestrogen action on energy balance is multi-faceted and is fundamental to determining sexual dimorphism in weight control. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the decline in oestrogen levels leads to increased risk of weight gain and development of cardiometabolic disease in women across the menopausal transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Nicole De Jesus
- Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Program, Biomedicine, Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Belinda A Henry
- Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Program, Biomedicine, Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Marquardt AE, VanRyzin JW, Fuquen RW, McCarthy MM. Social play experience in juvenile rats is indispensable for appropriate socio-sexual behavior in adulthood in males but not females. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 16:1076765. [PMID: 36755666 PMCID: PMC9899815 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1076765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Social play is a dynamic and rewarding behavior abundantly expressed by most mammals during the juvenile period. While its exact function is debated, various rodent studies on the effects of juvenile social isolation suggest that participating in play is essential to appropriate behavior and reproductive success in adulthood. However, the vast majority of these studies were conducted in one sex only, a critical concern given the fact that there are known sex differences in play's expression: across nearly all species that play, males play more frequently and intensely than females, and there are qualitative sex differences in play patterns. Further limiting our understanding of the importance of play is the use of total isolation to prevent interactions with other juveniles. Here, we employed a novel cage design to specifically prevent play in rats while allowing for other forms of social interaction. We find that play deprivation during the juvenile period results in enduring sex-specific effects on later-life behavior, primarily in males. Males prevented from playing as juveniles exhibited decreased sexual behavior, hypersociability, and increased aggressiveness in adulthood, with no effects on these measures in females. Importantly, play deprivation had no effect on anxiety-like behavior, object memory, sex preference, or social recognition in either sex, showing the specificity of the identified impairments, though there were overall sex differences in many of these measures. Additionally, acute play deprivation impaired performance on a test of prosocial behavior in both sexes, indicating a difference in the motivation and/or ability to acquire this empathy-driven task. Together, these findings provide novel insight into the importance and function of juvenile social play and how this differs in males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E. Marquardt
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jonathan W. VanRyzin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rebeca W. Fuquen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Margaret M. McCarthy
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Margaret M. McCarthy
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Donaldson NM, Prescott M, Ruddenklau A, Campbell RE, Desroziers E. Maternal androgen excess significantly impairs sexual behavior in male and female mouse offspring: Perspective for a biological origin of sexual dysfunction in PCOS. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1116482. [PMID: 36875467 PMCID: PMC9975579 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1116482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common infertility disorder worldwide, typically characterised by high circulating androgen levels, oligo- or anovulation, and polycystic ovarian morphology. Sexual dysfunction, including decreased sexual desire and increased sexual dissatisfaction, is also reported by women with PCOS. The origins of these sexual difficulties remain largely unidentified. To investigate potential biological origins of sexual dysfunction in PCOS patients, we asked whether the well-characterized, prenatally androgenized (PNA) mouse model of PCOS exhibits modified sex behaviours and whether central brain circuits associated with female sex behaviour are differentially regulated. As a male equivalent of PCOS is reported in the brothers of women with PCOS, we also investigated the impact of maternal androgen excess on the sex behaviour of male siblings. METHODS Adult male and female offspring of dams exposed to dihydrotestosterone (PNAM/PNAF) or an oil vehicle (VEH) from gestational days 16 to 18 were tested for a suite of sex-specific behaviours. RESULTS PNAM showed a reduction in their mounting capabilities, however, most of PNAM where able to reach ejaculation by the end of the test similar to the VEH control males. In contrast, PNAF exhibited a significant impairment in the female-typical sexual behaviour, lordosis. Interestingly, while neuronal activation was largely similar between PNAF and VEH females, impaired lordosis behaviour in PNAF was unexpectedly associated with decreased neuronal activation in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH). CONCLUSION Taken together, these data link prenatal androgen exposure that drives a PCOS-like phenotype with altered sexual behaviours in both sexes.
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Devillers MM, Mhaouty-Kodja S, Guigon CJ. Deciphering the Roles & Regulation of Estradiol Signaling during Female Mini-Puberty: Insights from Mouse Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213695. [PMID: 36430167 PMCID: PMC9693133 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mini-puberty of infancy is a short developmental phase occurring in humans and other mammals after birth. In females, it corresponds to transient and robust activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis revealed by high levels of gonadotropin hormones, follicular growth, and increased estradiol production by the ovary. The roles of estradiol signaling during this intriguing developmental phase are not yet well known, but accumulating data support the idea that it aids in the implementation of reproductive function. This review aims to provide in-depth information on HPO activity during this particular developmental phase in several mammal species, including humans, and to propose emerging hypotheses on the putative effect of estradiol signaling on the development and function of organs involved in female reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie M. Devillers
- Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS, Inserm, Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative UMR 8251, Physiologie de l’Axe Gonadotrope U1133, CEDEX 13, 75205 Paris, France
| | - Sakina Mhaouty-Kodja
- Neuroscience Paris Seine—Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Céline J. Guigon
- Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS, Inserm, Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative UMR 8251, Physiologie de l’Axe Gonadotrope U1133, CEDEX 13, 75205 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
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