title: Increasing neuron numbers in the vasopressin and oxytocin containing nucleus of the adult female pig hypothalamus.
abstract: Neuron number and volume of the recently described vasopressin and oxytocin containing nucleus (VON) in the pig hypothalamus have been studied into adulthood. Following a 2.5-fold increase in both sexes around puberty, both neuron number and volume of the VON continued to increase in the female pig between 1 and 2.5 years of age. Since no such increase occurred in the male, the VON exhibits a pronounced sexual dimorphism in adulthood of 260%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Morphology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: van Eerdenburg
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Swaab
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000032:analysis*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013552:Swine; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014667:Vasopressins; D010121:Oxytocin