Glycogen depletion in astrocytes induces sex-dimorphic remodeling of astrocytic and synaptic structures with concomitant anxiety-like behaviors and maternal care deficits
Our findings demonstrate that astrocytic glycogen depletion induces female-specific disruption of structural plasticity in astrocytes and synapses, with these morphological alterations correlating with sex-dimorphic abnormalities in anxiety-like and maternal behaviors. These results reveal a sexually dimorphic mechanism whereby astrocytic glycogen loss selectively impairs structural plasticity in females, thereby underscoring the critical role of glycogen homeostasis in female-specific neurobehavioral adaptations essential for species survival.
Authors
- Yuanyuan Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6119-7738)
- Dai Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3099-497X)
- Xinyan Qin
- You Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9779-0309)
- Ying‐Yi Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3753-4877)
- Zhaoyichun Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0972-2566)
- Hui Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6825-5649)
- Nan Ma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4620-1866)
- Haopeng Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2229-2927)
- Xiaotong Shi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6430-0203)
- Jing Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0988-4225)
- Ze Fan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6236-9327)
- Youyi Zhao
- Danyi He
Institutions
- Xi'an Medical University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Biology of Sex Differences
- Published
- 2025-06-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-025-00723-6
- Primary Topic
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Fourth Military Medical University