Kristin M. Olesen

TL;DR: It is found that simulating maternal grooming, a form of maternal interaction that is sexually dimorphic with males experiencing more than females during the neonatal period, effectively masculinizes female ERalpha promoter methylation and gene expression, which suggests natural variations in maternal care that are directed differentially at males vs. females can influence sex differences in the brain by creating sexuallyDimorphic DNA methylation patterns.

TL;DR: Why and how rats play, some brain regions controlling play behaviour, and how neurotransmitters and the social environment converge within the developing brain to influence sexual differentiation of juvenile play behaviour are focused on.

TL;DR: It is reported that estrogen receptors can be activated in a ligand-independent manner within developing brain by membrane dopamine receptors, and increases in social play behavior induced by neonatal treatment with estradiol or a dopamine D1 receptor agonist can be prevented by prior treatment with an estrogen receptor antagonist.

TL;DR: Data indicate a sex difference in Fos protein expression during brain development, suggesting a potential role for Fos in differentiating male from female rat brain and identifying brain regions responding directly or indirectly to steroid hormones.

TL;DR: The present data support an inhibitory role for dopamine in female responses to courtship and suggest that endocrine state and catecholamines interact to regulate this behavior.