Steroid hormones dimorphism

Steroid Hormones and Neurosteroids. Steroids (qv) can affect neuroendocrine function, stress responses, and behavioral sexual dimorphism (78,79) (see Steroids). Mineralocorticoid, glucocorticoid, androgen, estrogen, and progesterone receptors are localized in the brain and spinal cord. In addition to genomic actions, the neurosteroid can act more acutely to modulate the actions of other receptors or ion channels (80). Pregnenolone [145-13-17, ( ) dehydroepiandosterone [53-43-0] C H2 02 (319) are excitatory neurosteroids found in rat brain, independent of adrenal... 

The mammalian and avian immune systems function similarly both incorporate humoral and cell-mediated cytotoxic mechanisms, " and are thought to share a 160m year old relationship with the reptilian immune system. The immune system of mammals shows sexual dimorphism " a greater immune response is normally observed in females, which has been attributed to differences in steroid hormone concentration. In the toad Bufo regularis, sexual dimorphism of the immune system is also apparent. ... 

Peterson, B.S., Leckman, J.F, Scahill, L., Naftolin, F, Keefe, D., Charest, N.J., and Cohen, D.J. (1992) Steroid hormones and sexual dimorphisms modulate symptom expression in Tourette s syndrome. Psychoneuroendocrinology 17 553—563. 

Wisniewski AB (1998) Sexually-dimorphic patterns of cortical asymmetry, and the role for sex steroid hormones in determining cortical patterns of lateralization. Psychoneuroendocrinology 23 519-547. 

Legraverend, C., A. Mode, T. Wells, I. Robinson, and J.A. Gustafsson (1992). Hepatic steroid hydroxylating enzymes are controlled by the sexually dimorphic pattern of growth hormone secretion in normal and dwarf rats. FASEB J. 6, 711-718. 

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