A5040598536- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Immune cells in cancer
- Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Gender Politics and Representation
- Menstrual Health and Disorders
- Mast cells and histamine
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Sex and Gender in Healthcare
- Infant Health and Development
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Gender Roles and Identity Studies
- Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Neonatal and fetal brain pathology
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
The Ohio State University
2016-2025
Institute for Behavioral Medicine
2017-2025
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
2019
Institute of Psychology
2018
University of Maryland, Baltimore
2010-2015
Indiana University Bloomington
2006-2009
Brain sexual differentiation in rodents results from the perinatal testicular androgen surge. In preoptic area (POA), estradiol aromatized testosterone upregulates production of proinflammatory molecule, prostaglandin E 2 (PGE ) to produce sex-specific brain development. PGE produces a two-fold greater density dendritic spines males than females and masculinizes adult copulatory behavior. One neonatal dose POA behavior, simultaneous treatment with an inhibitor additional synthesis prevents...
Steroid hormones of gonadal origin act on the neonatal brain to produce sex differences that underlie adult reproductive physiology and behavior. Neuronal occur a variety levels, including in regional volume and/or cell number, morphology, physiology, molecular signaling, gene expression. In rodent, many these are determined by steroid hormones, particularly estradiol, established diverse downstream effects. One region is potently organized estradiol preoptic area (POA), critically involved...
Many sex differences in brain and behavior are programmed during development by gonadal hormones, but the cellular mechanisms incompletely understood. We found that immune-system-derived mast cells a primary target for masculinizing hormone estradiol turn mediators of sexual differentiation. Newborn male rats had greater numbers more activated preoptic area (POA), region essential copulatory behavior, than female littermates critical period Inhibiting with stabilizing agent blunted...
Sexual differentiation of the rodent brain is dependent upon organizing actions steroid hormone, estradiol. In preoptic area, a region critical for expression adult reproductive behavior, there are twice as many dendritic spine synapses per unit length on newborn male neurons compared to female and this sex difference correlates with copulatory behavior. The in POA achieved via estradiol's upregulation membrane-derived lipid signaling molecule prostaglandin E2 (PGE2); PGE2 necessary...
Millions of people take hormonal contraceptives (HCs), often starting during adolescence when ovarian hormones influence brain and behavioral maturation. However, there is a fundamental lack information about the neurobehavioral consequences alterations via adolescent HC use. To begin addressing this gap, we validated rodent model administration characterized its impact on endocrine, transcriptional, endpoints. Cohorts intact post-pubertal female Sprague-Dawley rats received daily...
Abstract Sexual differentiation is the early life process by which brain prepared for male or female typical behaviors, and directed sex chromosomes, hormones experiences. We have recently found that innate immune cells residing in brain, including microglia mast cells, are more numerous than rat brain. Neuroimmune also key participants sexual process, specifically organizing synaptic development of preoptic area leading to male-typical behavior adulthood. Mast known their roles allergic...