Asymmetry in responsiveness of the hypothalamus of the female rat to estradiol.
Asymmetry of function is an increasingly general principle of neuroanatomy, and right-left asymmetry has been observed in some neuroendocrine functions. We report that the right side of the hypothalamus of female rats is more responsive to estradiol than the left side of the hypothalamus for the induction of sexual receptivity. These results are consistent with previous suggestions that the left side of the hypothalamus is more sensitive to the defemininizing actions of neonatal hormones.
D000818:Animals; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D008845:Microinjections; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011187:Posture; D051381:Rats; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D014697:Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D004958:Estradiol