Analysis of efferent connections of the tuberal POMC positive neurons in the organization of sexual behaviors in female mice

• Grant number: 22/16851-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Anatomy
• Principal Investigator: Simone Cristina Motta
• Grantee: Nelson Munhoz Neto
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The hypothalamus is responsible for organizing motivated behaviors, such as sexual behavior. To organize this behavior, the hypothalamus recruits the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN), the ventral premammillary nucleus (PMv), the tuberal nucleus (TU) and the ventrolateral portion of the ventromedial nucleus (VMHvl). In these nuclei, a sexual dimorphism is noticed between males and females, for example, through the expression of sex hormones receptors, which leads to different behavioral expressions. In female rodents, a differential expression of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) in the tuberal nucleus was seen in the different phases of the estrous cycle, which seems to promote a "behavioral switch" in these animals: the neuropeptide expression induces sexual receptivity and its absence promotes an aggressive behavior. This project aims to characterize the efferent connections of the tuberal POMC positive neurons in female mice (POMCCRE). Thus, we intend to identify possible neural pathways through whom these neurons play a role in the expression of sexual behavior in females.