16 | 2025 GIGA Annual Report Puberty is a critical period for the development of female sexual behavior, and stress during this phase can have lasting effects. A study led by Julie Bakker at the Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology found that chronic pubertal stress permanently impaired sexual performance in female mice without affecting sexual preference. This disruption was linked to reduced activation of nitric oxide-producing neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus, a brain region essential for female sexual behavior. Notably, these neurons, which typically respond to male olfactory cues, showed diminished activation in stressed females. Treating affected mice with a nitric oxide donor partially restored sexual behavior, highlighting the importance of this neural pathway. These findings underscore puberty as a sensitive window in which stress can alter brain circuits involved in sexual function, potentially leading to long-term consequences for reproductive health STRESS DURING PUBERTAL DEVELOPMENT AFFECTS FEMALE SOCIOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN MICE Bentefour Y, Bakker J. Nat Commun. 2024 Apr 30;15(1):3610. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-47300-w. p LINKS | News GIGA | Publication on ORBI | Julie Bakker
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