{"id":130166,"date":"2024-11-26T05:30:09","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T22:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=130166"},"modified":"2024-11-26T05:30:09","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T22:30:09","slug":"how-the-brain-toggles-female-sexual-rejection-and-acceptance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=130166","title":{"rendered":"How the Brain Toggles Female Sexual Rejection and Acceptance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Summary: <\/strong>A new study uncovers how progesterone-responsive neurons in the anterior ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) toggle between sexual receptivity and rejection in female mice. These neurons are highly active during rejection behaviors, such as kicking or boxing males, when females are outside their fertile phase.<\/p>\n<p>During fertility, these neurons receive inhibitory signals, reducing their activity and enabling mating. Using advanced techniques like optogenetics, researchers confirmed that activating these neurons induces rejection even in fertile females, while silencing them decreases rejection behaviors without triggering receptivity.<\/p>\n<p>This dual neural system offers a robust mechanism for balancing mating behavior based on internal states. The findings could provide insights into human sexual behavior and disorders linked to the hypothalamus.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Facts<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Progesterone-responsive neurons in the anterior VMH drive sexual rejection behaviors.<\/li>\n<li>These neurons switch activity based on fertility, balancing mating behavior dynamically.<\/li>\n<li>Optogenetics confirmed their role as a neural \u201cswitch\u201d for rejection in female mice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong>Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown<\/p>\n<p><strong>Female mammals, such as rodents, accept mating attempts only during their fertile phase, and actively reject males outside this period. While the brain areas controlling sexual receptivity are well-studied, the mechanisms behind active rejection are less so.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cSexual rejection isn\u2019t just the absence of receptivity, it\u2019s an active behaviour\u201d, explains Susana Lima, senior author and head of the Neuroethology Lab at CF.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFemales exhibit defensive actions like running away, kicking, or boxing the male. We wanted to understand how the brain switches between these two drastically different behavioural states\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><picture fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-106502\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-300x200.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-770x513.jpg.webp 770w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-1155x770.jpg.webp 1155w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-370x247.jpg.webp 370w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-293x195.jpg.webp 293w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-150x100.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" src=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience.jpg\" alt=\"This shows a man, a woman, and a brain.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-770x513.jpg 770w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-1155x770.jpg 1155w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-293x195.jpg 293w, https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/files\/2024\/11\/female-sexual-rejection-neuroscience-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/> <\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The team focused on the anterior VMH, a less-explored area, particularly on cells responsive to the hormone progesterone, which fluctuates throughout the reproductive cycle.  Credit: Neuroscience News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Central to their research is the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), an evolutionarily ancient brain region that controls social and sexual behaviour across species, including humans.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe suspected that the VMH might house a separate population of cells dedicated to rejection, based on previous low-resolution imaging experiments showing VMH activity during both acceptance and rejection of male advances\u201d, says Lima.<\/p>\n<p>The team focused on the anterior VMH, a less-explored area, particularly on cells responsive to the hormone progesterone, which fluctuates throughout the reproductive cycle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese neurons are ideal for studying how the female brain toggles between acceptance and rejection during the cycle\u201d, notes first author Nicolas Gutierrez-Castellanos.<\/p>\n<p><strong>No. Yes. It Depends.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnderstanding this flip gives us insight into how the brain integrates signals from the environment and the body to shape behaviour\u201d, continues Gutierrez-Castellanos.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a striking example of how the same stimulus\u2014in this case, an eager male\u2014can elicit completely opposite behaviours, depending on the female\u2019s internal state\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Through advanced techniques like fibre photometry\u2014which tracks real-time brain activity by measuring calcium signals\u2014researchers observed the behaviour of these progesterone-sensitive neurons in both receptive and non-receptive female mice during interactions with males.<\/p>\n<p>The results were striking: anterior VMH neurons became highly active in non-receptive females, correlating with defensive actions like kicking and boxing, but were far less active in receptive females.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt appears that progesterone-responsive neurons in the anterior VMH act as gatekeepers for sexual rejection\u201d, says co-first author Basma Husain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen a female is outside her fertile window, these neurons become highly active, prompting rejection. But during fertility, their activity decreases, allowing mating to occur\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Brain\u2019s Dual Control Knobs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>How do these neurons switch on or off depending on fertility? To investigate, the team performed electrophysiology experiments, measuring the activity of progesterone-responsive neurons in brain slices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe found that in non-receptive females, these neurons received more excitatory signals, making them more likely to be activated\u201d, explains Gutierrez-Castellanos.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn receptive females, they received more inhibitory signals, reducing their likelihood of firing. It\u2019s a testament to how adaptable and flexible neural connections in the hypothalamus\u2014and the brain\u2014can be\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe activity levels and excitation\/inhibition balance of progesterone-responsive neurons in the anterior VMH strongly suggested their role in sexual rejection\u201d, says Husain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo confirm this, we used optogenetics to selectively activate these neurons with light\u201d. Indeed, artificially stimulating them during the fertile phase induced rejection behaviours such as kicking and boxing. \u201cIt\u2019s like flipping a switch\u2014even though the females were fertile, they acted as if they weren\u2019t\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, silencing these neurons with a chemical drug in non-receptive females reduced rejection behaviours, though interestingly, it didn\u2019t make them fully receptive\u2014indicating that two distinct populations of neurons, one controlling rejection and the other receptivity, work in concert to produce the appropriate behaviour according to the female\u2019s internal state.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis setup gives the brain two \u2018knobs\u2019 to adjust\u201d, Lima explains. \u201cIt\u2019s a more efficient and robust way for the brain to balance these behaviours, ensuring mating occurs when conception is most likely, while minimising the risks and costs of mating, such as exposure to predators or diseases\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Husain adds, \u201cThis dual-system likely adds flexibility to the brain\u2019s regulation of sexual behaviour. Sex isn\u2019t deterministic. Even during the receptive phase, a female might still reject males, so the ability to draw on both sets of neurons may allow for more nuanced and dynamic behaviours\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Notably, these findings align with recent research showing that progesterone-responsive neurons in the posterior VMH, which drive sexual receptivity, undergo similar cycle-dependent changes, but in the opposite direction\u2014active during the fertile phase and inactive outside it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe VMH exists in humans and likely plays similar roles\u201d, notes Lima.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRecent studies in mouse models have shown that the VMH changes in pathological conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome. Additionally, socially isolating female mice during development may lead to reduced sexual receptivity, with alterations in the same brain area, underscoring the VMH\u2019s clinical relevance\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re just beginning to scratch the surface of how the brain\u2019s internal wiring orchestrates social behaviour\u201d, concludes Lima.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s much more to learn, but these findings bring us a step closer to understanding how neural mechanisms and internal states drive complex social interactions, from sexual behaviour to aggression and beyond\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About this neuroscience research news<\/h2>\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Author: <\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#d4bcb1b0bdfaadbba1bab394bab1a1a6bbfab2b7bcb5b9a4b5b8bdb9b5a1b0fabba6b3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hedi Young<\/a><br \/><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/neuro.fchampalimaud.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown<\/a><br \/><strong>Contact: <\/strong>Hedi Young \u2013 Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown<br \/><strong>Image: <\/strong>The image is credited to Neuroscience News<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ffffe8\"><strong>Original Research: <\/strong>Open access.<br \/>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuron.2024.10.026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A hypothalamic node for the cyclical control of female sexual rejection<\/a>\u201d by Susana Lima et al. <em>Neuron<\/em><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-pale-cyan-blue-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color has-background\"\/>\n<p><strong>Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>A hypothalamic node for the cyclical control of female sexual rejection<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Internal state-dependent behavioral flexibility, such as the ability to switch between rejecting and accepting sexual advances based on a female\u2019s reproductive capacity, is crucial for maintaining meaningful social interactions.<\/p>\n<p>While the role of the ventrolateral ventromedial hypothalamus (VMHvl) in sexual acceptance is well established, the neural mechanisms underlying sexual rejection remain unexplored.<\/p>\n<p>In this study, we identify progesterone receptor-expressing neurons in the anterior VMHvl (aVMHvl<sup>PR+<\/sup>) as key regulators of cyclical female sexual rejection behavior.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>In\u00a0vivo<\/em>\u00a0recordings reveal that these neurons are active during sexual rejection but inactive during sexual acceptance.<\/p>\n<p>Slice electrophysiology demonstrates that aVMHvl<sup>PR+<\/sup>\u00a0neurons receive a reduced excitatory-to-inhibitory synaptic input balance in receptive females.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, activating and inhibiting aVMHvl<sup>PR+<\/sup>\u00a0neurons increases rejection in receptive females and reduces rejection in non-receptive females, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, aVMHvl<sup>PR+<\/sup>\u00a0neurons constitute a critical neural substrate controlling female sexual behavior, providing an additional barrier to mating when fertilization is not possible.<\/p>\n<p> <!-- Form created by Optin Forms plugin by WPKube: create beautiful optin forms with ease! --> <!-- https:\/\/wpkube.com\/ --><!--optinforms-form5-container--> <!-- \/ Optin Forms --> <\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/neurosciencenews.com\/neuroscience-sexual-rejection-28126\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summary: A new study uncovers how progesterone-responsive neurons in the anterior ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) toggle between sexual receptivity and rejection in female mice. 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