Sex hormones and social behaviour

Grant number: 628553 | Funding period: 2010 - 2012

Completed

Abstract

Prevalence report by the Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) estimated that 1 child in every 160 children in the 6-12 year-old age group is affected by ASD. There is no cure for ASD and the causes are not understood. We propose that sex hormones may play a role in the development of these disorders. We will test this hypothesis using knockout and transgenic mouse models which have social interaction deficits and brain structure reminiscent of these disorders.

Related publications (8)

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Sexual dimorphism in the glucose homeostasis phenotype of the Aromatase Knockout (ArKO) mice

Michelle Van Sinderen, Gregory Steinberg, Sebastian B Jorgensen, Jane Honeyman, Jenny DY Chow, Evan R Simpson, Margaret EE Jones, Wah Chin Boon

2017-06-01

We investigated the effects of estrogens on glucose homeostasis using the Aromatase Knockout (ArKO) mouse, which is unable to conv..

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Effects of Estrogens on Adipokines and Glucose Homeostasis in Female Aromatase Knockout Mice

Michelle L Van Sinderen, Gregory R Steinberg, Sebastian B Jorgensen, Jane Honeyman, Jenny D Chow, Kerrie A Herridge, Amy L Winship, Evdokia Dimitriadis, Margaret EE Jones, Evan R Simpson, Wah Chin Boon

2015-08-28

The maintenance of glucose homeostasis within the body is crucial for constant and precise performance of energy balance and is su..

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Characterization of Aromatase Expression in the Adult Male and Female Mouse Brain. I. Coexistence with Oestrogen Receptors alpha and beta, and Androgen Receptors

Davor Stanic, Sydney Dubois, Hui Kheng Chua, Bruce Tonge, Nicole Rinehart, Malcolm K Horne, Wah Chin Boon

2014-03-19

Aromatase catalyses the last step of oestrogen synthesis. There is growing evidence that local oestrogens influence many brain reg..

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Hepatic Glucose Intolerance Precedes Hepatic Steatosis in the Male Aromatase Knockout (ArKO) Mouse

Michelle L Van Sinderen, Gregory R Steinberg, Sebastian B Jorgensen, Sarah Q To, Kevin C Knower, Colin D Clyne, Jane Honeyman, Jenny D Chow, Kerrie A Herridge, Margaret EE Jones, Evan R Simpson, Wah Chin Boon

2014-02-10

Estrogens are known to play a role in modulating metabolic processes within the body. The Aromatase knockout (ArKO) mice have been..

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Aromatase and its inhibition in behaviour, obsessive compulsive disorder and parkinsonism

Wah Chin Boon, Malcolm K Horne

2011-07-01

Oestrogens regulate normal behaviour and have been implicated in modulating pathological behaviour such as obsessive compulsive di..

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Estrogen deficiency results in apoptosis in the frontal cortex of adult female aromatase knockout mice

Rachel A Hill, Hui Kheng Chua, Margaret EE Jones, Evan R Simpson, Wah Chin Boon

2009-05-01

The aromatase knockout (ArKO) mouse is completely estrogen deficient. We previously detected apoptosis in the hypothalamus of 1 ye..

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Fas/FasL-mediated apoptosis in the arcuate nucleus and medial preoptic area of male ArKO mice is ameliorated by selective estrogen receptor alpha and estrogen receptor beta agonist treatment, respectively

Rachel A Hill, Jenny Chow, Karlheinrich Fritzemeier, Evan R Simpson, Wah Chin Boon

2007-10-01

The aromatase (ArKO) knockout mouse is estrogen deficient. Our previous analysis revealed apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons in the..

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Estrogen deficient male mice develop compulsive behavior

Rachel A Hill, Kerry J McInnes, Emily CH Gong, Margaret EE Jones, Evan R Simpson, Wah Chin Boon

2007-02-01

BACKGROUND: Aromatase converts androgen to estrogen. Thus, the aromatase knockout (ArKO) mouse is estrogen deficient. We investiga..

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