Brain Sex Differences and Testosterone

What is the primary androgen secreted by the testes before puberty?

Testosterone (T)

What is the function of 5α-reductase in gonadal steroid synthesis?

Converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone

What is the role of Sertoli cells in the male fetus?

Producing anti-müllerian hormone

What is the process by which testosterone is converted within target cells?

5α-reduction Signup and view all the answers

What is the origin of medullary cords in the male fetus?

Coelomic epithelium Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of cortical cords in the male fetus?

They degenerate Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism by which perinatal androgens or their metabolites affect reproductive behavior?

They permanently alter brain structures that regulate reproductive behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of steroid hormones in the activation of reproductive behavior in adulthood?

They activate brain structures to elicit reproductive behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of giving androgens perinatally to female rats?

They develop a male-like pattern of behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is the aromatization hypothesis proposed by Christensen et al. in 1978?

Estradiol activates estrogen receptors. Signup and view all the answers

Why don't circulating estrogens from the mother masculinize female rats perinatally?

Because estrogens are present in low concentrations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of ERα and ERβ in male sex behavior?

They are necessary for male sex behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the protein that protects female fetuses from the effects of testosterone?

α-fetoprotein Signup and view all the answers

Which brain region is larger in males and is dependent on testosterone?

Sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the hypothesis that explains how testosterone influences sexual differentiation of the brain?

Aromatization Hypothesis Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of the absence of perinatal androgen on the anteroventral periventricular nucleus?

It becomes larger and more dense Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a possible mechanism of steroid hormone-induced sex differences in the brain?

Differential gene expression in the kidneys Signup and view all the answers

What is the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone to estrogen in the brain?

Aromatase Signup and view all the answers