Microglia Sculpt Sex Differences in Social Behavior

Caroline J Smith; Staci D Bilbo

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2019.03.039

Microglia Sculpt Sex Differences in Social Behavior

Neuron. 2019 Apr 17;102(2):275-277. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.03.039.

Authors

Caroline J Smith¹, Staci D Bilbo²

Affiliations

¹ Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
² Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: sbilbo@mgh.harvard.edu.

PMID: 30998897
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.03.039

Abstract

Microglia are increasingly recognized as developmental sculptors of neural circuits. In this issue of Neuron, VanRyzin et al. (2019) demonstrate a novel mechanism by which endocannabinoids drive microglia to phagocytose newborn astrocytes in the medial amygdala of male rats, promoting sex differences in social play behavior.

Keywords: endocannabinoids; medial amygdala; microglia; sex differences; social behavior.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Animals
Endocannabinoids*
Female
Male
Microglia*
Phagocytosis
Rats
Sex Characteristics
Social Behavior

Substances

Endocannabinoids