title: Sexual dimorphism in the adolescent brain: Role of testosterone and androgen receptor in global and local volumes of grey and white matter.
abstract: Here we examined sex differences in the volumes of grey and white matter, and in grey-matter "density," in a group of typically developing adolescents participating in the Saguenay Youth Study (n=419; 12-18 years). In male adolescents, we also investigated the role of a functional polymorphism in androgen-receptor gene (AR) in moderating the effect of testosterone on volumes of grey and white matter and grey-matter density. Overall, both absolute and relative volumes of white matter were larger in male vs. females adolescents. The relative grey-matter volumes were slightly larger in female than male adolescents and so was the grey-matter density in a large number of cortical regions. In male adolescents, functional polymorphism of AR moderated the effect of testosterone on relative white- and grey-matter volumes. Following a discussion of several methodological and interpretational issues, we outline future directions in investigating brain-behavior relationships vis-à-vis psychopathology.
authors.affiliation: Brain and Body Centre, University of Nottingham, UK. tomas.paus@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paus
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nawaz-Khan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perron
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Pike
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pitiot
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Richer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Susman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veillette
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pausova
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D018911:Trinucleotide Repeats
chemical_list: D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol