Sex differences in the dendritic arbor of hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus neurons. 2009

Gerald D Griffin, and Loretta M Flanagan-Cato
Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

The hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMH) displays sexual dichotomies in its overall size, neurochemistry, and neuronal morphology. These differences may underlie the sex differences observed in functions mediated by the VMH, such as reproductive behaviors and energy balance. A previous Golgi impregnation analysis of VMH dendrites reported sex differences in total dendrite length in the ventrolateral region of the VMH. The present study tested the hypothesis that this sex difference is localized to a specific dendrite type. VMH neurons were visualized with Golgi impregnation. Overall, male rats displayed significantly longer dendrites than females for VMH neurons. This sex difference was apparent in both the dorsomedial and the ventrolateral subdivisions of the VMH. When dendrites were classified based on dendrite type, namely long primary, short primary and secondary dendrites, the increased length for males was observed for all dendrite types. Furthermore, when long primary dendrites were categorized according to whether they extended in the dorsomedial, ventrolateral, ventromedial or dorsolateral direction, the sex difference in length occurred for all directions. These results indicate that the previously identified dendrite categories for VMH neurons are integral to VMH circuitry for both males and females. Given that the sex difference in dendrite length applied to all dendrite types, the elongated male VMH dendrites may provide additional sites to process input from both local interneurons and extranuclear afferents.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009474 Neurons The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM. Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D010052 Ovariectomy The surgical removal of one or both ovaries. Castration, Female,Oophorectomy,Bilateral Ovariectomy,Bilateral Ovariectomies,Castrations, Female,Female Castration,Female Castrations,Oophorectomies,Ovariectomies,Ovariectomies, Bilateral,Ovariectomy, Bilateral
D011374 Progesterone The major progestational steroid that is secreted primarily by the CORPUS LUTEUM and the PLACENTA. Progesterone acts on the UTERUS, the MAMMARY GLANDS and the BRAIN. It is required in EMBRYO IMPLANTATION; PREGNANCY maintenance, and the development of mammary tissue for MILK production. Progesterone, converted from PREGNENOLONE, also serves as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of GONADAL STEROID HORMONES and adrenal CORTICOSTEROIDS. Pregnenedione,Progesterone, (13 alpha,17 alpha)-(+-)-Isomer,Progesterone, (17 alpha)-Isomer,Progesterone, (9 beta,10 alpha)-Isomer
D003712 Dendrites Extensions of the nerve cell body. They are short and branched and receive stimuli from other NEURONS. Dendrite
D004958 Estradiol The 17-beta-isomer of estradiol, an aromatized C18 steroid with hydroxyl group at 3-beta- and 17-beta-position. Estradiol-17-beta is the most potent form of mammalian estrogenic steroids. 17 beta-Estradiol,Estradiol-17 beta,Oestradiol,17 beta-Oestradiol,Aerodiol,Delestrogen,Estrace,Estraderm TTS,Estradiol Anhydrous,Estradiol Hemihydrate,Estradiol Hemihydrate, (17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol Monohydrate,Estradiol Valerate,Estradiol Valeriante,Estradiol, (+-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (16 alpha,17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (16 alpha,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, (17-alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (8 alpha,17 beta)-(+-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (8 alpha,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, (9 beta,17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (9 beta,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, Monosodium Salt,Estradiol, Sodium Salt,Estradiol-17 alpha,Estradiol-17beta,Ovocyclin,Progynon-Depot,Progynova,Vivelle,17 beta Estradiol,17 beta Oestradiol,Estradiol 17 alpha,Estradiol 17 beta,Estradiol 17beta,Progynon Depot
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012727 Sex Characteristics Those characteristics that distinguish one SEX from the other. The primary sex characteristics are the OVARIES and TESTES and their related hormones. Secondary sex characteristics are those which are masculine or feminine but not directly related to reproduction. Gender Characteristics,Gender Differences,Gender Dimorphism,Sex Differences,Sex Dimorphism,Sexual Dichromatism,Sexual Dimorphism,Characteristic, Gender,Characteristic, Sex,Dichromatism, Sexual,Dichromatisms, Sexual,Difference, Sex,Dimorphism, Gender,Dimorphism, Sex,Dimorphism, Sexual,Gender Characteristic,Gender Difference,Gender Dimorphisms,Sex Characteristic,Sex Difference,Sex Dimorphisms,Sexual Dichromatisms,Sexual Dimorphisms
D014697 Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus A nucleus of the middle hypothalamus, the largest cell group of the tuberal region with small-to-medium size cells. Hypothalamic Nucleus, Ventromedial,Nucleus, Ventromedial Hypothalamic

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