Neuroendocrinology and Neuroimmunology
Author: Juliana Navarro | Email: ju.navarro13@gmail.com
Juliana Navarro1°, Macarena Maldonado1°2°, Araceli Seiffe2°, Amaicha Mara Depino2°3°
1° Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
2° IFIBYNE (UBA-CONICET)
3° Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental (FCEN, UBA)
Precocious puberty can be triggered by the early secretion of gonadotrophins or sex hormones, the latter is known as peripheral precocious puberty and is often idiopathic (90-95% in girls). The onset of puberty marks a critical period for physical growth, endocrine maturation, and brain circuit consolidation. Children with precocious puberty face social and emotional challenges that may impact self-esteem and predispose them to psychiatric conditions. However, the direct impact of early puberty on brain maturation and behavior remains underexplored.
This study presents a model of precocious puberty to evaluate its impact on psychiatric-relevant behaviors. We administered 17β-estradiol (E2) daily from postnatal day 21 (PD21) to PD35 and assessed adult sociability, anxiety-, and depression-related behaviors. Female mice exposed to E2 exhibited earlier vaginal opening, confirming pharmacologically-induced early puberty. In adulthood, no significant differences were observed between groups in anxiety, repetitive behaviors, or sociability tests. However, E2-treated animals showed impaired social recognition, with no deficit in social novelty response, indicating a specific behavioral alteration. Additionally, sex differences were noted in urine marking and forced swim test immobility.
These findings establish a new model of precocious puberty in mice and highlight a specific effect on social recognition that warrants further investigation into the underlying neuronal mechanisms.