Scientists reveal the neural mechanisms of differences in male and female behavior.

Xu Xiaohong, of the Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligent Technology, and Xu Xiaohong of the National Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, used photogenetics to induce both male courtship and maternal behavior in mice of different sexes, and at the same time demonstrated in various ways that neurons of the inner pre-visual region expressed estrogen receptor (Estrogen receptor, Esr1) played a key role in mediatuating differences in male and female behavior.
today, the research paper is published online in the journal Nature Communications.
in sexually reproduced species, male and female individuals showed differences in courtship behavior and offspring care behavior.
these differences in male and female behavior may be determined by social factors in human and non-human primates, while in other species more reflect the gender differentiation of the nervous system and the function of the male and female nervous system.
the inner pre-front alzone (mPOA) is located at the bottom of the brain, the front end of the hypothalamus, and there are significant differences between males and females in many species, including humans, and many different females and males in terms of cell number, gene expression, and neural bonding, so the inner pre-view region has long been considered an important brain region that regulates differences in male and female behavior.
however, the study of the inner pre-front al-stool has long been in descriptive or damaging experiments, and there is no precise functional level of research, so we have not been clear about whether the inner pre-view region regulates the difference of male and female behavior and the neural mechanism of its behavior regulation.
to answer this question, Xu Xiaohong's team used the latest optogenetics and fiber optic recording research methods, and systematically explored the relationship between neuroactivity and the output of gender-specific sexual behavior in the inner pre-visual pre-visual region in male and female mice.
first, they found a high correlation between neural activity and male courtship behavior and the number of maternal sex estrithing in the inner pre-visual neurons, especially Esr1-plus neurons.
exciting, the activation of the inner pre-visual neurons or the specific activation of Esr1 plus neurons in the male and female individuals can simultaneously induce male courtship behavior and maternal behavior, indicating that the inner frontal region has the potential to dominate any gender-specific behavior in any gender individual.
at the same time, if the neural activity of the esr1-plus neurons in the inner pre-visual region is blocked in real time during the behavior, the occurrence of male courtship behavior and maternal behavior can be prevented.
accordingly, killing Esr1 plus neurons completely eliminates the gender differences between male courtship behavior and maternal behavior.
" this study suggests the hypothesis that the brain still has dual potential after gender differentiation, and suggests that gender-specific activation of the esfrontal esr1-plus neurons is a key factor in the difference in male and female behavior.
" researchers say this not only enhances understanding of the function of the inner pre-visual region, but also provides a theoretical basis and framework for future studies of the neural mechanisms of gender-specific sexual behavior.
Source: Science.com