Sexually dimorphic neuronal responses to social isolation
Open Access
- 11 October 2016
- journal article
- research article
- Published by eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd in eLife
Abstract
Many species use social networks to buffer the effects of stress. The mere absence of a social network, however, may also be stressful. We examined neuroendocrine, PVN CRH neurons and report that social isolation alters the intrinsic properties of these cells in sexually dimorphic fashion. Specifically, isolating preadolescent female mice from littermates for <24 hr increased first spike latency (FSL) and decreased excitability of CRH neurons. These changes were not evident in age-matched males. By contrast, subjecting either males (isolated or grouped) or group housed females to acute physical stress (swim), increased FSL. The increase in FSL following either social isolation or acute physical stress was blocked by the glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitor, metyrapone and mimicked by exogenous corticosterone. The increase in FSL results in a decrease in the excitability of CRH neurons. Our observations demonstrate that social isolation, but not acute physical stress has sex-specific effects on PVN CRH neurons.Keywords
Funding Information
- Leaders in Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine
- Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions (Postdoctoral Fellowship)
- University of Calgary Eyes High Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (86501)
- Fondation Brain Canada
This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2015/16: Voltage‐gated ion channelsBritish Journal of Pharmacology, 2015
- Sexually divergent expression of active and passive conditioned fear responses in ratseLife, 2015
- Sex differences and stress across the lifespanNature Neuroscience, 2015
- The relation between emotion regulation strategies and physiological stress responses in middle childhoodPsychoneuroendocrinology, 2012
- The transformation of hormonal stress responses throughout puberty and adolescenceJournal of Endocrinology, 2011
- Regulation of neuronal activity by Cav3-Kv4 channel signaling complexesNature Neuroscience, 2010
- Structural and Functional Evolution of Vertebrate Neuroendocrine Stress SystemsAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2009
- Developmental changes in hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal activity over the transition to adolescence: Normative changes and associations with pubertyDevelopment and Psychopathology, 2009
- Muscarinic Receptors Control Frequency Tuning Through the Downregulation of an A-Type Potassium CurrentJournal of Neurophysiology, 2007
- Immunohistochemical differentiation of electrophysiologically defined neuronal populations in the region of the rat hypothalamic paraventricular nucleusJournal of Comparative Neurology, 1991