Detection of conspecific pheromones elicits fos expression in GABA and calcium-binding cells of the rat vomeronasal system–medial extended amygdala

Pereno, Germán Leandro; Balaszczuk, Verónica; Beltramino, C.

doi:10.1007/s13105-010-0051-5

Cited by 15 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Indeed, GABAergic synapses on spines are well positioned to selectively regulate excitatory inputs (Dehay et al, 1991;Knott et al, 2002) and modulate synaptic plasticity (Chalifoux and Carter, 2011). In the MePD, they participate in the elaboration of vomeronasal/pheromonal stimuli that regulate social behavior (Meredith and Westberry, 2004;Pereno et al, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inhibitory and multisynaptic spines, and hemispherical synaptic specialization in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of male and female rats

Brusco

Merlo

Ikeda

et al. 2014

J of Comparative Neurology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The density of dendritic spines is sexually dimorphic and variable throughout the female estrous cycle in the rat posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD), a relevant area for the modulation of reproductive behavior in rats. The local synaptic activity differs between hemispheres in prepubertal animals. Here, we used serial section transmission electron microscopy to produce three-dimensional reconstructions of dendritic shafts and spines to characterize synaptic contacts on MePD neurons of both hemispheres in adult males and in females along the estrous cycle. Pleomorphic spines and non-synaptic filopodia occur in the MePD. On average, 8.6% of dendritic spines received inputs from symmetric GABA-immunoreactive terminals, whereas 3.6% received two synaptic contacts on the spine head, neck or base. Presynaptic terminals in females right MePD had a higher density of synaptic vesicles and docked vesicles than the left MePD, suggesting a higher rate of synaptic vesicle release in the right MePD of female rats. In contrast, males did not show laterality in any of those parameters. The proportion of putative inhibitory synapses on dendritic shafts in the right MePD of females in proestrus was higher than in the left MePD, and higher than in the right MePD in males, or in females in diestrus or estrus. This work shows synaptic laterality depending on sex and the estrous cycle phases in mature MePD neurons. Most likely, sexual hormones effects are lateralized in this brain region, leading to higher synaptic activity in the right than in the left hemisphere of females, mediating timely neuroendocrine and social/reproductive behavior.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inhibitory and multisynaptic spines, and hemispherical synaptic specialization in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of male and female rats

Brusco

Merlo

Ikeda

et al. 2014

J of Comparative Neurology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This observation provides structural evidence for the AOB involvement in the pheromonal activation observed in the MG (Teicher et al, 1980; Greer et al, 1982). Actually exposition to the male rat to female urine (Pereno et al, 2011) increases Fos expression in the rostral half of the AOB with respect to the caudal, reaching the peak in the foremost AOB (Honda et al, 2008). As a matter of fact, illustrations shown in the latter studies (Honda et al, 2008; Pereno et al, 2011) suggest that cells in the OL area described here are also activated by pheromone exposure of the male rat.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Actually exposition to the male rat to female urine (Pereno et al, 2011) increases Fos expression in the rostral half of the AOB with respect to the caudal, reaching the peak in the foremost AOB (Honda et al, 2008). As a matter of fact, illustrations shown in the latter studies (Honda et al, 2008; Pereno et al, 2011) suggest that cells in the OL area described here are also activated by pheromone exposure of the male rat. Further, stimulation by odorants or pheromones brings about successive activation of the MOB and AOB, reaching the peak in bold signal along the rosatral part of the AOB (Xu et al, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytological organization of the alpha component of the anterior olfactory nucleus and olfactory limbus

Larriva-Sahd¹

2012

Front. Neuroanat

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study describes the microscopic organization of a wedge-shaped area at the intersection of the main (MOB) and accessory olfactory bulbs (AOBs), or olfactory limbus (OL), and an additional component of the anterior olfactory nucleus or alpha AON that lies underneath of the AOB. The OL consists of a modified bulbar cortex bounded anteriorly by the MOB and posteriorly by the AOB. In Nissl-stained specimens the OL differs from the MOB by a progressive, antero-posterior decrease in thickness or absence of the external plexiform, mitral/tufted cell, and granule cell layers. On cytoarchitectual grounds the OL is divided from rostral to caudal into three distinct components: a stripe of glomerular-free cortex or preolfactory area (PA), a second or necklace glomerular area, and a wedge-shaped or interstitial area (INA) crowned by the so-called modified glomeruli that appear to belong to the anterior AOB. The strategic location and interactions with the main and AOBs, together with the previously noted functional and connectional evidence, suggest that the OL may be related to both sensory modalities. The alpha component of the anterior olfactory nucleus, a slender cellular cluster (i.e., 650 × 150 μm) paralleling the base of the AOB, contains two neuron types: a pyramidal-like neuron and an interneuron. Dendrites of pyramidal-like cells (P-L) organize into a single bundle that ascends avoiding the AOB to resolve in a trigone bounded by the edge of the OL, the AOB and the dorsal part of the anterior olfactory nucleus. Utrastructurally, the neuropil of the alpha component contains three types of synaptic terminals; one of them immunoreactive to the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase, isoform 67.

show abstract

“…For example, testes removal that causes decreases in the rat MePD spine density after 90 days also strikingly reduces ejaculatory and intromission behaviors [26,30,105]. Although the pieces of this intriguing mosaic are still being put together, the MeA subnuclei are in a strategic condition for gathering chemosensory and hormonal information and modulating behaviors in conjunction with other brain areas in male and female rats [9,19,20,33,106,107]. The MeA subnuclei also form associated circuits to regulate various aspects of the social displays [5,7,9,28].…”

Section: Functional Features Of the Medial Amy-gdalamentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological and Functional Features of the Sex Steroid-Responsive Posterodorsal Medial Amygdala of Adult Rats

Rasia‐Filho

Haas²,

Oliveira³

et al. 2012

MRMC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The rat posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) expresses receptors for gonadal hormones and integrates sex steroid-sensitive subcortical networks. Male-female differences are found in the morphology, connectivity, and local neuropil structure of MePD. For example, dendritic spine density is sexually-dimorphic and changes with the estrous cycle and following gonadal hormones manipulations. Due to its connectivity, the MePD may affect emotionally-loaded social behaviors, according to a former Newman's seminal proposition. Unilateral fiber-sparing ibotenic acid damage of the MePD does not impair male sexual behavior. However, microinjecting glutamate and histamine into the right MePD facilitates ejaculation. Further, MePD-lesioned rats are not different from normal rats in anxiety-like behavior as evaluated by the elevated plus maze test or innate fear test induced by a live cat. In another study, an adapted model for inducing aggressive behavior in rats by a brief period of restraint prior to the resident-intruder paradigm was used to study Fos-immunoreactivity in the MePD. Following stressful stimulation (restraint) or the restraint and fight condition, but not after aggression alone, Fos-immunoreactivity was detected in the MePD. Microinjecting the inhibitory neuropeptide somatostatin into the right MePD notably reduces fighting behavior without affecting locomotion. Overall, these data indicate that sex steroids and local neurochemical stimulatory/inhibitory transmitters modulate the MePD and reinforce the idea that this area is a node for modulating social behavior neural networks.

show abstract

Detection of conspecific pheromones elicits fos expression in GABA and calcium-binding cells of the rat vomeronasal system–medial extended amygdala

Cited by 15 publications

References 43 publications

Inhibitory and multisynaptic spines, and hemispherical synaptic specialization in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of male and female rats

Inhibitory and multisynaptic spines, and hemispherical synaptic specialization in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of male and female rats

Cytological organization of the alpha component of the anterior olfactory nucleus and olfactory limbus

Morphological and Functional Features of the Sex Steroid-Responsive Posterodorsal Medial Amygdala of Adult Rats

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About