Testosterone-induced brain aromatase is sexually dimorphic.

Animals; Aromatase/biosynthesis; Brain/enzymology; Coturnix; Enzyme Induction; Estradiol/biosynthesis; Female; Kinetics; Male; Orchiectomy; Organ Specificity; Sex Factors; Testosterone/metabolism/pharmacology

Abstract :

[en] Female quail are less sensitive than males to the activating effects of testosterone (T) on behavior. Testosterone induces hypothalamic aromatase activity more efficiently in males than in females (higher Vmax but similar Km). As the conversion of T to estradiol (E2) is important for the activation of male sexual behavior, we propose that the incapacity of the female hypothalamus to produce behaviorally active E2 contributes to their insensitivity to T. The 5 alpha-reductase, which converts T into 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (5 alpha-DHT), is induced by T specifically in the anterior hypothalamus of both sexes.

Disciplines :

Zoology
Endocrinology, metabolism & nutrition
Neurosciences & behavior

Author, co-author :

Schumacher, M.

Balthazart, Jacques

Language :

English

Title :

Testosterone-induced brain aromatase is sexually dimorphic.

Publication date :

1986

Journal title :

Brain Research

ISSN :

0006-8993

eISSN :

1872-6240

Publisher :

Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Volume :

370

Issue :

Pages :

285-93

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 18 July 2011

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Scopus citations^®

177

Scopus citations^®
without self-citations

OpenCitations

165

OpenAlex citations

189

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