The arcuate nucleus is a major centre of control for reproduction. While most studies on this topic focus on gene changes in puberty, Eghlidi et al. profiled the aged arcuate nucleus.

Using microarrays, they compared the expression profiles of young and aged male arcuate nuclei, obtained from rhesus macaques. Although no significant changes in gene expression were noted from microarray data, qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) showed age-related decreases in progesterone receptor and androgen receptor expression. This study also found differences in kisspeptin and neurokinin B expression in aged males versus females, highlighting some previously undescribed sexually dimorphic arcuate nucleus gene expression with ageing.

Read the full article in Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 59 141–149