Serotonin signaling in the brain of adult female mice is required for sexual preference
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Authors: Zhang, Shasha; Liu, Yan; Rao, Yi
Abstract
A role for serotonin in male sexual preference was recently uncovered by our finding that male mutant mice lacking serotonin have lost sexual preference. Here we show that female mouse mutants lacking either central serotonergic neurons or serotonin prefer female over male genital odors when given a choice, and displayed increased female-female mounting when presented either with a choice of a male and a female target or only with a female target. Pharmacological manipulations and genetic rescue experiments showed that serotonin is required in adults. Behavioral changes caused by deficient serotonergic signaling were not due to changes in plasma concentrations of sex hormones. We demonstrate that a genetic manipulation reverses sexual preference without involving sex hormones. Our results indicate that serotonin controls sexual preference.
Post-Stroke Fatigue May Be Associated with the Promoter Region of a Monoamine Oxidase A Gene Polymorphism
CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES
Authors: Choi-Kwon, Smi; Ko, Mihye; Jun, Sang-Eun; Kim, Juhan; Cho, Kyung-Hee; Nah, Hyun-Wook; Song, Hasup; Kim, Jong S.
Abstract
Background: Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is a common sequela of stroke. Despite reports of serotonergic involvement in the etiology of PSF, the potential contribution of serotonergic genes in the development of PSF needs to be investigated. Methods: A total of 373 patients, who experienced ischemic stroke for PSF, were evaluated 3 months after the stroke. PSF was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale. The genomic DNA collected and stored in a -70 degrees C freezer was genotyped for 6 polymorphisms in genes associated with serotonin synthesis (tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) A218C, TPH2 rs10879355, and TPH2 rs4641528), transport (the promoter region of the serotonin transporter protein), and catabolism (the 30-bp functional variable number tandem repeat) polymorphism in the promoter region of monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). Results: Among the 373 patients, 164 (44%) had PSF. All patients were ethnic Koreans. Of the 6 polymorphisms examined, only one marker, that is, low-activity MAOA was associated with PSF (p < 0.05) in female patients. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that post-stroke depression (PSD; 95% CI 1.561-14.323, p = 0.006) and low MAO-A activity (95% CI 0.166-0.722, p = 0.005) were factors associated with PSF in female patients, whereas only PSD (95% CI 5.511-65.269, p = 0.000) was associated with PSF in male patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that PSF may be associated with a genetic polymorphism involving MAO-A, at least in female stroke patients. (C) 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel
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