Crenshaw B J, De Vries G J, Yahr P
Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003.
J Comp Neurol. 1992 Aug 22;322(4):589-98. doi: 10.1002/cne.903220412.
The distribution of vasopressin-immunoreactive fibers in the forebrain of male and female gerbils was studied, focusing on the lateral septum and the sexually dimorphic area (SDA) found at the border between the medial preoptic area and the anterior hypothalamus. To study hormonal influences on the densities of these fibers, some animals of each sex were gonadectomized or gonadectomized and given testosterone. Others were given sham operations. High densities of vasopressin-immunoreactive fibers were found in the lateral septum. In the SDA, the densities of these fibers varied considerably. Many were found in the medial half of the medial SDA, but few in the lateral SDA. Vasopressin-immunoreactive fibers were also sparse in the lateral half of the medial SDA, except for a dense cluster in the SDA pars compacta of males. Similar but smaller clusters were seen in the same location in females although the SDA pars compacta could not be detected in Nissl-stained sections from the female brains. Fiber densities in two areas, the lateral septum and the lateral SDA, were sensitive to gonadal steroids. In both cases, castration reduced fiber density and testosterone enhanced it. In addition, fiber densities in two areas, the lateral septum and the medial SDA, were sexually dimorphic. In each case, fiber density was greater in males. There was no hormonal effect, however, on the fiber densities in the medial SDA. The fact that the fiber plexuses in the lateral septum and the medial SDA respond differently to gonadal steroids suggests that they arise from different cells and possibly from different areas of the brain. The vasopressin-immunoreactive fibers in the lateral septum probably come from steroid-sensitive vasopressin neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Those in the medial SDA may originate in the dorsal aspect of the suprachiasmatic nucleus where vasopressin-immunoreactive cell bodies were seen.
研究了雄性和雌性沙鼠前脑中加压素免疫反应纤维的分布，重点关注外侧隔以及在内侧视前区和下丘脑前部边界处发现的性二态区（SDA）。为了研究激素对这些纤维密度的影响，对每种性别的一些动物进行了性腺切除或性腺切除并给予睾酮。其他动物则进行了假手术。在外侧隔中发现了高密度的加压素免疫反应纤维。在SDA中，这些纤维的密度差异很大。在内侧SDA的内侧半部发现了许多纤维，但在外侧SDA中很少。在内侧SDA的外侧半部，加压素免疫反应纤维也很稀疏，除了雄性SDA致密部有一个密集的簇。在雌性的相同位置也观察到类似但较小的簇，尽管在雌性大脑的尼氏染色切片中无法检测到SDA致密部。外侧隔和外侧SDA这两个区域的纤维密度对性腺类固醇敏感。在这两种情况下，去势都会降低纤维密度，而睾酮会增加纤维密度。此外，外侧隔和内侧SDA这两个区域的纤维密度存在性二态性。在每种情况下，雄性的纤维密度都更大。然而，激素对内侧SDA的纤维密度没有影响。外侧隔和内侧SDA中的纤维丛对性腺类固醇的反应不同，这一事实表明它们来自不同的细胞，可能来自大脑的不同区域。外侧隔中的加压素免疫反应纤维可能来自终纹床核中对类固醇敏感的加压素神经元。内侧SDA中的纤维可能起源于视交叉上核的背侧，在那里可以看到加压素免疫反应细胞体。
