title: Gonadal steroid-dependent neuronal circuitries in avian limbic and preoptic regions.
abstract: In the avian limbic and preoptic region, the sexually dimorphic medial preoptic nucleus and nucleus of the stria terminalis are characterized by the presence of a testosterone-dependent aromatase-immunoreactive neuronal population. In situ hybridization studies confirmed that testosterone is modulating the expression of aromatase gene. Both nuclei are also characterized by a sexually dimorphic, testosterone-dependent vasotocin system. Immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization data, demonstrated that dimorphism and testosterone-sensitivity of this system are both dependent by an embryonic organizational effect of the estradiol. Intracerebroventricularly injected vasotocin, has a profound inhibitory effect on the male sexual behaviour, and immunocytochemical investigations revealed close associations among vasotocin fibres and aromatase cell bodies. These data suggest that this neuropeptidergic system could have a key role in the circuitries controlling different aspects of male reproductive behaviour in the Japanese quail.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Pharmacology, and Forensic Medicine, University of Torino, Italy. giancarlo.panzica@unito.it
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Panzica
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viglietti-Panzica
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology; D003370:Coturnix / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008032:Limbic System / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011301:Preoptic Area / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology*; D014668:Vasotocin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D001141:Aromatase; D014668:Vasotocin