Sex differences in cell proliferation and glucocorticoid responsiveness in the zebra finch brain.

ABSTRACT: Neural proliferation is a conserved property of the adult vertebrate brain. In mammals, stress reduces hippocampal neuronal proliferation and the effect is stronger in males than in females. We tested the effects of glucocorticoids on ventricular zone cell proliferation in adult zebra finches where neurons are produced that migrate to and incorporate within the neural circuits controlling song learning and performance. Adult male zebra finches sing and have an enlarged song circuitry; females do not sing and the song circuit is poorly developed. Freshly prepared slices from adult males and females containing the lateral ventricles were incubated with the mitotic marker BrdU with or without steroid treatments. BrdU-labeled cells were revealed immunocytochemically and all labeled cells withi

SUBMITTER: Katz A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2678882 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature