Role of GABAA receptors in the organization of brain and behavioural sex differences.
Sex differences in GABA neurotransmitter have been described. We have studied the involvement of the GABAA receptor in sex differences in the brain and reproductive behaviour. Neonatal administration of the GABAA agonist diazepam to male rats facilitated the induction of maternal behaviour in adults, while the antagonist picrotoxin disrupted it in females. Sex differences in the accessory olfactory bulb were also reversed, but gonadal function remained unaltered in both sexes. This suggests that neonatal changes in neuronal membrane permeability to Cl- ions may play a role in the organization of sex differences. Our study constitutes a new model for understanding the early neurobiological organization of sex differences.
Segovia
S
S
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.
del Cerro
M C
MC
Ortega
E
E
Pérez-Laso
C
C
Rodriguez-Zafra
C
C
Izquierdo
M A
MA
Guillamón
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D011963:Receptors, GABA-A