A human-mouse conserved sex bias in amygdala gene expression related to circadian clock and energy metabolism.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Major depression affects twice as many women as men, but the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the heightened female vulnerability are not known. The amygdala, composed of heterogeneous subnuclei, participates in multiple functional circuits regulating emotional responses to stress. We hypothesized that sex differences in molecular structure may contribute to differential mood regulation and disease vulnerability.

Findings

Using gene arrays followed by quantitative PCR validation, we compared the transcriptome profiles between sexes in human and mouse amygdala. We now report sexually dimorphic features of transcriptomes in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala, and these features are highly conserved across species. A functional analysis of differe

SUBMITTER: Lin LC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3098780 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature