Estrous cycle and sex as regulating factors of baseline brain oxidative metabolism and behavior

• Natalia Arias Palencia ; Camino Álvarez Fidalgo ^[1] ; Nélida María Conejo Jiménez ^[1] ; Héctor González Pardo ^[1] ; Jorge Luis Arias Pérez ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad de Oviedo

     Universidad de Oviedo

     Oviedo, España

     
• Localización: Revista iberoamericana de psicología y salud, ISSN 2171-2069, Vol. 1, Nº. 1, 2010, págs. 3-16
• Idioma: inglés
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• Dialnet Métricas: 1 Cita
• Resumen
  • español

    La existencia de diferencias sexuales en la función cerebral es actualmente un tema controvertido y existen resultados contradictorios en la literatura científica. Parte de esta controversia sería resuelta teniendo en consideración los cambios rítmicos en los niveles de esteroides gonadales circulantes durante el ciclo menstrual o estral en hembras en comparación con machos. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los cambios en el metabolismo oxidativo de regiones límbicas cerebrales en ratas macho y hembra en dos etapas diferentes del ciclo estral (estro y diestro). La actividad citocromo oxidasa fue usada como un marcador fiable del metabolismo oxidativo neuronal. Encontramos los mayores niveles de metabolismo oxidativo durante la fase de diestro en algunas regiones cerebrales, cuando los niveles de estrógenos son elevados. Los machos mostraron una actividad citocromo oxidasa similar en comparación con las hembras en estro. Nuestros resultados apoyan los trabajos conductuales y neurobiológicos que muestran diferencias sexuales en roedores y seres humanos.

  • English

    The existence of sex differences in brain function is still today a controversial issue, and contradictory results are reported in the scientific literature. Part of this controversy would be solved by taken into consideration the rhythmic changes in the levels of circulating gonadal steroids during the menstrual or estrous cycle in females as compared to males. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in oxidative metabolism of limbic brain regions in male and female rats at two different stages of estral cycle (estrous and diestrous). Cytochrome oxidase activity was used as a reliable marker of neuronal oxidative metabolism. We found the highest levels of oxidative metabolism during the diestrous phase in several brain regions, when estrogen levels are high. Males displayed similar cytochrome oxidase activity as compared to females in estrous phase. Our results support behavioral and neurobiological studies reporting sex differences in rodents and humans.

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