Pre- or postnatal testosterone and flutamide effects on sexually dimorphic nuclei of the rat hypothalamus

• Published in: Brain research. Developmental brain research Vol. 120; no. 2; pp. 261 - 266
• Main Authors: Lund, Trent D, Salyer, David L, Fleming, Donovan E, Lephart, Edwin D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 14.04.2000
• Subjects: Androgen Antagonists - pharmacology; Androgen Receptor Antagonists; Animals; Animals, Newborn; AVPV; Female; Flutamide; Flutamide - pharmacology; Hypothalamus; Hypothalamus - cytology; Hypothalamus - drug effects; Hypothalamus - growth & development; Male; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Preoptic Area - cytology; Preoptic Area - drug effects; Preoptic Area - growth & development; Rat; Rats; Rats, Long-Evans; Receptors, Androgen - metabolism; SDN-POA; Sex Characteristics; Sex Differentiation - drug effects; Sex Differentiation - physiology; Sexual dimorphism; Testosterone; Testosterone - metabolism; Testosterone - pharmacology; Testosterone; Flutamide; Rat; AVPV; Sexual dimorphism; Hypothalamus; SDN-POA
• ISSN: 0165-3806
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-3806(00)00013-4

Utilizing the sexually dimorphic nature of hypothalamic nuclei, a determination of the effects of pre- or postnatal flutamide and testosterone treatments were examined in male and female rats. Statistical analysis compared treatments, sex, and time of injection in terms of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) and the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) volumes and lengths. The present findings establish that pre- or postnatal hormonal environments are crucial in influencing sexual morphology on the developing brain.