 |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
Previous Article | Next Article
The Journal of Neuroscience, August 15, 2001, 21(16):6292-6297
Sex Differences and Opposite Effects of Stress on Dendritic Spine Density in the Male Versus Female Hippocampus
Tracey J. Shors, Chadrick Chua, and Jacqueline Falduto Department of Psychology and Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854
Dendritic spines are postsynaptic sites of excitatory input in the mammalian nervous system. Despite much information about their structure, their functional significance remains unknown. It has been reported that females in proestrus, when estrogen levels are elevated, have a greater density of apical dendritic spines on pyramidal neurons in area CA1 of the hippocampus than females in other stages of estrous (Woolley et al., 1990). Here we replicate these findings and in addition, show that females in proestrus have a greater density of spines in area CA1 of the hippocampus than males. Moreover, this sex difference in spine density is affected in opposite directions by stressful experience. In response to one acute stressful event of intermittent tailshocks, spine density was enhanced in the male hippocampus but reduced in the female hippocampus. The decrease in the female was observed for those that were stressed during diestrus 2 and perfused 24 hr later during proestrus. The opposing effects of stress were not evident immediately after the stressor but rather occurred within 24 hr and were evident on apical and to a lesser extent on basal dendrites of pyramidal cells in area CA1. Neither sex nor stress affected spine density on pyramidal neurons in somatosensory cortex. Sex differences in hippocampal spine density correlated with sex hormones, estradiol and testosterone, whereas stress effects on spine density were not directly associated with differences in the stress hormones, glucocorticoids. In summary, males and females have different levels of dendritic spine density in the hippocampus under unstressed conditions, and their neuronal anatomy can respond in opposite directions to the same stressful event.
Key words: estrogen; learning; fear; glutamate; corticosterone; testosterone; synapse; memory
Copyright © 2001 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/01/21166292-06$05.00/0
This article has been cited by other articles:
W. Reilly, B. Koirala, and L. L. Devaud
Sex Differences in Acoustic Startle Responses and Seizure Thresholds between Ethanol-Withdrawn Male and Female Rats
Alcohol Alcohol., November 1, 2009; 44(6): 561 - 566.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
J. M. Andreano and L. Cahill
Sex influences on the neurobiology of learning and memory
Learn. Mem., March 24, 2009; 16(4): 248 - 266.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
C. Liossi and R. Ll. Wood
Gender as a Moderator of Cognitive and Affective Outcome After Traumatic Brain Injury
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, February 1, 2009; 21(1): 43 - 51.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
J. Waddell, D. A. Bangasser, and T. J. Shors
The Basolateral Nucleus of the Amygdala Is Necessary to Induce the Opposing Effects of Stressful Experience on Learning in Males and Females
J. Neurosci., May 14, 2008; 28(20): 5290 - 5294.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
R. Duncko, B. Cornwell, L. Cui, K. R. Merikangas, and C. Grillon
Acute exposure to stress improves performance in trace eyeblink conditioning and spatial learning tasks in healthy men
Learn. Mem., May 1, 2007; 14(5): 329 - 335.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
C. P. Donahue, K. S. Kosik, and T. J. Shors
Growth hormone is produced within the hippocampus where it responds to age, sex, and stress
PNAS, April 11, 2006; 103(15): 6031 - 6036.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
J. Alfonso, M. E. Fernandez, B. Cooper, G. Flugge, and A. C. Frasch
The stress-regulated protein M6a is a key modulator for neurite outgrowth and filopodium/spine formation
PNAS, November 22, 2005; 102(47): 17196 - 17201.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
J. B. Becker, A. P. Arnold, K. J. Berkley, J. D. Blaustein, L. A. Eckel, E. Hampson, J. P. Herman, S. Marts, W. Sadee, M. Steiner, et al.
Strategies and Methods for Research on Sex Differences in Brain and Behavior
Endocrinology, April 1, 2005; 146(4): 1650 - 1673.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
Z. Amin, T. Canli, and C. N. Epperson
Effect of Estrogen-Serotonin Interactions on Mood and Cognition
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev, March 1, 2005; 4(1): 43 - 58.
[Abstract] [PDF]
C. Weiss, E. Sametsky, A. Sasse, J. Spiess, and J. F. Disterhoft
Acute stress facilitates trace eyeblink conditioning in C57BL/6 male mice and increases the excitability of their CA1 pyramidal neurons
Learn. Mem., March 1, 2005; 12(2): 138 - 143.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
A. Granger, V. Ngo-Muller, C. Bleux, C. Guigon, H. Pincas, S. Magre, D. Daegelen, A. Tixier-Vidal, R. Counis, and J.-N. Laverriere
The Promoter of the Rat Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor Gene Directs the Expression of the Human Placental Alkaline Phosphatase Reporter Gene in Gonadotrope Cells in the Anterior Pituitary Gland as well as in Multiple Extrapituitary Tissues
Endocrinology, February 1, 2004; 145(2): 983 - 993.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
G. Poeggel, C. Helmeke, A. Abraham, T. Schwabe, P. Friedrich, and K. Braun
Juvenile emotional experience alters synaptic composition in the rodent cortex, hippocampus, and lateral amygdala
PNAS, December 23, 2003; 100(26): 16137 - 16142.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
C. Leranth, O. Petnehazy, and N. J. MacLusky
Gonadal Hormones Affect Spine Synaptic Density in the CA1 Hippocampal Subfield of Male Rats
J. Neurosci., March 1, 2003; 23(5): 1588 - 1592.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
B. Leuner, J. Falduto, and T. J. Shors
Associative Memory Formation Increases the Observation of Dendritic Spines in the Hippocampus
J. Neurosci., January 15, 2003; 23(2): 659 - 665.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
T. J. Shors and G. Miesegaes
Testosterone in utero and at birth dictates how stressful experience will affect learning in adulthood
PNAS, October 15, 2002; 99(21): 13955 - 13960.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|