Elsevier

Behavioural Brain Research

Volume 164, Issue 1, 14 October 2005, Pages 132-136
Behavioural Brain Research

Short communication
Sexual dimorphism in the vasopressin system: Lack of an altered behavioral phenotype in female V1a receptor knockout mice

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2005.06.005Get rights and content

Abstract

Previous findings with an AVP V1a receptor knockout mouse (V1aRKO) demonstrate a significant role for this receptor in anxiety-like behavior in males. Here we report the lack of anxiety-like effects of the null mutation in female mice. V1aRKO females performed normally on all tests for anxiety-like behavior. This sex difference may be due to the sexual dimorphism in the extra-hypothalamic vasopressin system, with males having significantly more vasopressin fibers in this system.

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Acknowledgments

This research supported by NIH MH070112 to IFB, MH56897, MH056538, and MH64692 to LJY, and NSF STC IBN-9876754 and the Yerkes Center Grant RR00165.

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