Prepubertal gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog leads to exaggerated behavioral and emotional sex differences in sheep

In mammals, sex specialization is reflected by differences in brain anatomy and function. Measurable differences are documented in reproductive behavior, cognition, and emotion. We hypothesized that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) plays a crucial role in controlling the extent of the brain...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Hormones and behavior 2011-01, Vol.59 (1), p.22-27
Main Authors: Wojniusz, Slawomir, Vögele, Claus, Ropstad, Erik, Evans, Neil, Robinson, Jane, Sütterlin, Stefan, Erhard, Hans W., Solbakk, Anne-Kristin, Endestad, Tor, Olberg, Dag Erlend, Haraldsen, Ira Ronit Hebold
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of Variance
Animal behavior
Animal cognition
Animal reproduction
Animals
Behavior
Behavior, Animal - drug effects
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Brain
Developmental biology
Emotions - drug effects
Feeding Behavior - drug effects
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gender differences
GnRH
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone
Goserelin - pharmacology
Heart Rate - drug effects
Heart rate variability
Hormones
Hormones and behavior
HRV
Life Sciences
Male
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Puberty, sheep, cognition
Sex differences
Sex Factors
Sheep
Social Behavior
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Summary:In mammals, sex specialization is reflected by differences in brain anatomy and function. Measurable differences are documented in reproductive behavior, cognition, and emotion. We hypothesized that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) plays a crucial role in controlling the extent of the brain's sex specificity and that changes in GnRH action during critical periods of brain development, such as puberty, will result in altered sex-specific behavioral and physiological patterns. We blocked puberty in half of the 48 same-sex Scottish mule Texel cross sheep twins with GnRH analog (GnRHa) goserelin acetate every 3weeks, beginning just before puberty. To determine the effects of GnRHa treatment on sex-specific behavior and emotion regulation in different social contexts, we employed the food acquisition task (FAT) and measurement of heart rate variability (HRV). ANOVA revealed significant sex and sex×treatment interaction effects, suggesting that treated males were more likely to leave their companions to acquire food than untreated, while the opposite effect was observed in females. Concordant results were seen in HRV; treated males displayed higher HRV than untreated, while the reverse pattern was found in females, as shown by significant sex and sex×treatment interaction effects. We conclude that long-term prepubertal GnRHa treatment significantly affected sex-specific brain development, which impacted emotion and behavior regulation in sheep. These results suggest that GnRH is a modulator of cognitive function in the developing brain and that the sexes are differentially affected by GnRH modulation. ► Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) affects developing sex differences in puberty. ► GnRH analog increased sex differences in pre-pubertally treated young sheep. ► Treated males showed exaggerated reward driven behavior and high emotional control. ► Treated females displayed avoidant oriented behavior and poor emotional control. ► GnRH analogs need to be evaluated as possible cognitive modulators.
ISSN:0018-506X
1095-6867
DOI:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.09.010