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Publication Detail

Title: Neonatal Masculinization Blocks Increased Excitatory Synaptic Input in Female Rat Nucleus Accumbens Core.

Authors: Cao, Jinyan; Dorris, David M; Meitzen, John

Published In Endocrinology, (2016 Aug)

Abstract: Steroid sex hormones and genetic sex regulate the phenotypes of motivated behaviors and relevant disorders. Most studies seeking to elucidate the underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms have focused on how 17β-estradiol modulates the role of dopamine in striatal brain regions, which express membrane-associated estrogen receptors. Dopamine action is an important component of striatal function, but excitatory synaptic neurotransmission has also emerged as a key striatal substrate and target of estradiol action. Here, we focus on excitatory synaptic input onto medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatal region nucleus accumbens core (AcbC). In adult AcbC, miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) frequency is increased in female compared with male MSNs. We tested whether increased mEPSC frequency in female MSNs exists before puberty, whether this increased excitability is due to the absence of estradiol or testosterone during the early developmental critical period, and whether it is accompanied by stable neuron intrinsic membrane properties. We found that mEPSC frequency is increased in female compared with male MSNs before puberty. Increased mEPSC frequency in female MSNs is abolished after neonatal estradiol or testosterone exposure. MSN intrinsic membrane properties did not differ by sex. These data indicate that neonatal masculinization via estradiol and/or testosterone action is sufficient for down-regulating excitatory synaptic input onto MSNs. We conclude that excitatory synaptic input onto AcbC MSNs is organized long before adulthood via steroid sex hormone action, providing new insight into a mechanism by which sex differences in motivated behavior and other AbcC functions may be generated or compromised.

PubMed ID: 27285859 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Estradiol/pharmacology*; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials/drug effects*; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials/physiology; Female; Feminization/chemically induced*; Feminization/pathology; Feminization/physiopathology*; Male; Nucleus Accumbens/cytology; Nucleus Accumbens/drug effects*; Nucleus Accumbens/physiology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sex Characteristics; Sexual Maturation/drug effects; Sexual Maturation/physiology; Synaptic Transmission/drug effects; Synaptic Transmission/physiology

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