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Sex differences in the vomeronasal system

A Guillamón¹, S Segovia

¹Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Ciudad Universitaria, Madrid, Spain.

Brain Research Bulletin

|January 1, 1997

Summary

Sex differences exist in the vomeronasal system (VNS), a neural network controlling reproductive behavior. This sexual dimorphism in the VNS provides a model for understanding reproductive behaviors and sex-related brain differences.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Reproductive Biology
Behavioral Endocrinology

Background:

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) and its central projections, the vomeronasal system (VNS), are crucial for reproductive behaviors.
Early findings revealed sex differences in the VNO, prompting the hypothesis of VNS sexual dimorphism.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate and confirm sexual dimorphism within the vomeronasal system (VNS).
To explore the neurobiological underpinnings of sex differences in reproductive behaviors.
To establish an animal model for understanding discrepancies between genetic/gonadal sex and brain/behavioral sex.

Main Methods:

Comparative morphological analysis of VNS structures in males and females.
Investigation of neurotransmitter systems, including GABA(A) receptors, involved in VNS development.
Examination of neonatal neuronal membrane permeability to chloride ions.

Main Results:

Confirmed sex differences in multiple VNS nuclei, including the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract (BAOT), and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST).
Identified two patterns of VNS morphological sex differences: males larger than females, and vice versa.
Evidence suggests neonatal Cl- permeability differences, potentially influenced by androgens, contribute to VNS sexual dimorphism.

Conclusions:

Sex differences in the VNS are widespread and consistent across various nuclei.
The VNS serves as a valuable neurofunctional model for studying sex differences in reproductive behaviors.
Findings offer insights into the development of sex differences and potential models for human conditions where sex identity and biological sex diverge.

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