Neural, not gonadal, origin of brain sex differences in a gynandromorphic finch.

ABSTRACT: In mammals and birds, sex differences in brain function and disease are thought to derive exclusively from sex differences in gonadal hormone secretions. For example, testosterone in male mammals acts during fetal and neonatal life to cause masculine neural development. However, male and female brain cells also differ in genetic sex; thus, sex chromosome genes acting within cells could contribute to sex differences in cell function. We analyzed the sexual phenotype of the brain of a rare gynandromorphic finch in which the right half of the brain was genetically male and the left half genetically female. The neural song circuit on the right had a more masculine phenotype than that on the left. Because both halves of the brain were exposed to a common gonadal hormone environment, the lateral

SUBMITTER: Agate RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC153648 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature