Hypothalamic Sidedness in Mitochondrial Metabolism: New Perspectives. (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Toth, Istvan; Kiss, David Sandor; Goszleth, Greta; Bartha, Tibor; Frenyo, Laszlo V.; Naftolin, Frederick; Horvath, Tamas L.; Zsarnovszky, Attila
• Is Part Of: Reproductive sciences. Volume 21:Number 12(2014:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1492
• Page End: 1498
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: hypothalamus -- mitochondrial respiration -- metabolic asymmetry -- estrous cycle -- rat; Reproductive health -- Periodicals; Reproduction -- Periodicals; 612.6
• DOI: 10.1177/1933719114530188
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1933-7191

Abstract

Morphofunctional changes in hypothalamic neurons are highly energy dependent and rely on mitochondrial metabolism. Therefore, mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate production plays a permissive role in hypothalamic regulatory events. Here, we demonstrated that in the female rat hypothalamus, mitochondrial metabolism and tissue oxygenation show an asymmetric lateralization during the estrous cycle. This asymmetry was not detected in males. The observed sidedness suggests that estrous cycle-linked hypothalamic functions in females are based on hemispheric distinction. The novel concept of hypothalamic asymmetry necessitates the revision of hypothalamic neural circuits, synaptic reorganization, and the role of hypothalamic sides in the regulation of integrated homeostatic functions.