Sexual dimorphism and asymmetry in human cerebellum: An MRI-based morphometric study

Fan, Lingzhong; Tang, Yuchun; Sun, Bo; Gong, Gaolang; Chen, Zhang J.; Lin, Xiangtao; Yu, Taifei; Li, Zhenping; Evans, Alan C.; Liu, Shuwei

doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2010.07.031

Cited by 68 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Many subsequent neuroimaging studies have shown that men had larger cerebellar hemispheres compared with women [95,96,97], while in some reports a higher proportion of cerebellar gray matter was reported in women [98]. Other studies reported no gender difference in cerebellar volume when the volume was corrected by brain size [99,100], but the presence of sexual dimorphism in the human cerebellum was again reaffirmed with an MR imaging study [27]. A direct biological effect of steroids was proven in the rodent cerebellum [101].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

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Sexually Diergic Trophic Effects of Estradiol Exposure on Developing Bovine Cerebellar Granule Cells

et al. 2016

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In the mammalian brain, the differentiation of neural cells and the developmental organization of the underlying circuitry are influenced by steroid hormones. The estrogen 17-β estradiol (E2) is one of the most potent regulators of neural growth during prenatal life, synthetized locally from steroid precursors including prenatal testicular testosterone. Estradiol promotes brain differentiation counting sexually dimorphic neural circuits by binding to the estrogen receptors, ER-α and ER-β. The cerebellum has been described as a site of estrogen action and a potentially sexually dimorphic area. The goal of this study was to analyze the capacity of E2 to affect the growth of male and female fetal bovine cerebellar granule. We performed primary cultures of fetal cerebellar granules, and verified the mRNA expression of the ER-α and ER-β in both sexes. Moreover, the distribution of ERs in the male and female cerebellar granules of the second fetal stage was characterized by immunohistochemistry. We measured morphological parameters in presence (or absence) of estradiol administration, focusing on the variations of the dendritic branching pattern of granule neurons. By using the nonparametric combination and permutation testing approach, we proposed a sophisticated multivariate statistical analysis to demonstrate that E2 induces multifarious and dimorphic changes in the granule cells. E2 exerts trophic effects in both female and male granules and this effect is stronger in female. Male granules treated with E2 became similar to female control granule. Bos taurus species has a long gestation and a large brain that offers an interesting alternative in comparative neuroscience.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

“…In summary, the data on sexual dimorphism and asymmetry in the cerebellum are controversial and still a subject of dispute [27]. …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexually Diergic Trophic Effects of Estradiol Exposure on Developing Bovine Cerebellar Granule Cells

et al. 2016

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“…In the cerebellum, anteriorly left-biased and posterior right-biased absolute volumes of the cerebellum were reported as an intrinsic cerebellar asymmetry [13,34], indicating a clockwise cerebellar torque. A similar clockwise torque pattern was seen in the cerebellum of chimpanzees [29,30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The direction and extent of the cerebellar torque asymmetry varied depending on species [13,14,34], the hand preference [13], and/or sex [34], independent of genetic factors [13]. The extent of torque asymmetry and the volume laterality of the cerebellum were more enhanced in males than in females in ferrets [15], as well as humans [34]. The present findings will provide advantageous information regarding sex-related morphological specification of the cerebral cortex, and keys to understanding the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders with gyrification abnormality and gender vulnerability, i.e., schizophrenia and autism.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age-Dependent Sexually-Dimorphic Asymmetric Development of the Ferret Cerebellar Cortex

Sawada

Aoki

2017

Symmetry

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Abstract:A three-dimensional (3D) T 1 -weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at 7-Tesla system was acquired with a high spatial resolution from fixed brains of male and female ferrets at postnatal days (PDs) 4 to 90, and their age-related sexual difference and laterality were evaluated by MRI-based ex vivo volumetry. The volume of both left and right sides of cerebellar cortex was larger in males than in females on PD 10 and thereafter. When the cerebellar cortex was divided into four transverse domains, i.e., anterior zone (AZ; lobules I-V), central zone (CZ; lobules VI and VII), posterior zone (PZ; lobules VIII-IXa), and nodular zone (NZ; lobules IXb and X), an age-related significantly greater volume in males than in females was detected on either side of all four domains on PD 42 and of the AZ on PD 90, but only on the left side of the PZ on PD 90. Regarding the volume laterality, significant leftward asymmetry was obtained in the CZ and PZ volumes in males, but not in females on PD 90. From asymmetry quotient (AQ) analysis, AQ scores were rightward in the AZ in both sexes already on PD 21, but gradually left-lateralized only in males in the CZ, PZ, and NZ during PDs 42 to 90. The present study suggests that a characteristic counterclockwise torque asymmetry (rostrally right-biased, and caudally left-biased or symmetrical) is acquired in both sexes of ferrets during PDs 42 to 90, although the leftward laterality of the posterior half of the cerebellum was more enhanced in males.

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Pons, Medulla Oblongata and Cerebellum

Goodrich

Yang

Miller

et al. 2016

Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation

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Sexual dimorphism and asymmetry in human cerebellum: An MRI-based morphometric study

Cited by 68 publications

References 70 publications

Sexually Diergic Trophic Effects of Estradiol Exposure on Developing Bovine Cerebellar Granule Cells

Sexually Diergic Trophic Effects of Estradiol Exposure on Developing Bovine Cerebellar Granule Cells

Age-Dependent Sexually-Dimorphic Asymmetric Development of the Ferret Cerebellar Cortex

Pons, Medulla Oblongata and Cerebellum

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