Sex Differences in Brain Development

Dear Colleagues,

Steroid hormones play key roles in normal brain development and are necessary for sexual differentiation of brain morphology, as well behavior during critical periods. Neonatal exposure to steroid hormones controls sex-specific development of brain structures (formation, neurogenesis, and apoptosis), and also changes in brain function and behavior (e.g., learning and memory). However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of steroid hormone action in the brain largely remain unknown. In rodents, hormonal manipulation alone during the neonatal period can reverse sex differences in brain structures and behaviors. However, studies on songbirds suggest that other factors, such as sex-specific gene expression, are also likely to play important roles in sexual differentiation of brain development. Furthermore, exposure to environmental hormone disruptors, as well as other abuse substances, in early life, can affect normal brain development and cause devastating disorders, such as mental retardation, learning disabilities, and other relevant mental diseases, posing strong adverse effects on health.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to bring together studies from diverse backgrounds, in order to provide a broader view of sex differences in brain development and behavior, hopefully shedding some new light on how sex differences in brain development affect mental disorders differently.

Dr. Yu Ping Tang
Guest Editor

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