Female's DHT controls sex differences in the rat bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract.
In the present study the regulatory action of the non-aromatic androgen dihydrotestoterone (DHT) on the volume of the sexually dimorphic bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract (BAOT) was investigated. Postnatal treatment with DHT (180 micrograms day-1) between days 6 and 20 (D6-D20) induced, in gonadally intact male rats, a drastic reduction in the overall volume to levels typical in control females. Conversely, the postnatal administration of the anti-androgen cyproterone acetate (CA) to the females from D6-D20 produced an increment in the BAOT volume not dissimilar to that found in control males. These findings reveal that sexual organization in this vomeronasal structure is dependent on the presence of DHT in females during postnatal development.
Collado
P
P
Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain.
Segovia
S
S
Calés
J M
JM
Pérez Laso
C
C
Rodriquez Zafra
M
M
Guillamón
A
A
Valencia
A
A
D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003534:Cyproterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D003534:Cyproterone