Sex-specific parenting and depression evoked by preoptic inhibitory neurons.

ABSTRACT: The role of preoptic GABAergic inhibitory neurons was addressed in parenting, anxiety and depression. Pup exposure and forced swimming resulted in similar c-Fos activation pattern in neurons expressing vesicular GABA transporter in the preoptic area with generally stronger labeling and different distributional pattern in females than in males. Chemogenetic stimulation of preoptic GABAergic cells resulted in elevated maternal motivation and caring behavior in females and mothers but aggression toward pups in males. Behavioral effects were the opposite following inhibition of preoptic GABAergic neurons suggesting their physiological relevance. In addition, increased anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors were found following chemogenetic stimulation of the same neurons in females,

SUBMITTER: Dimen D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8463871 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature