The sexually dimorphic nucleus of the hypothalamus contains GABA neurons in rat and man.
The sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) is the most striking structure displaying a morphological sex difference in the rat brain. A potentially homologous nucleus has been identified in the human hypothalamus. The objective of the present study was to pursue the putative homology of the rat and human SDN-POA by determining whether they express the same transmitter phenotype. We employed in situ hybridization histochemistry for GAD mRNA to show whether the neurons of the SDN-POA produce GABA. In both the rat and human, high levels of GAD65 and GAD67 mRNA are present in most, if not all, SDN-POA neurons. No sex difference is evident in the level of expression in either the rat or human. The data indicate that neurons of the SDN-POA in both the rat and human are GABA-producing and argue for the homology of these nuclei in the rat and human hypothalamus.
Gao
B
B
Center for Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Moore
R Y
RY
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid