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Science 20 June 1980:
Vol. 208. no. 4450, pp. 1380 - 1383
DOI: 10.1126/science.208.4450.1380
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Articles

Hormone-Induced Sexual Differentiation of Brain and Behavior in Zebra Finches

MARK E. GURNEY 1 and MASAKAZU KONISHI 1

1 Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125

The male zebra finch sings, whereas the female does not. This behavioral dimorphism is correlated with the presence of morphological sex differences within the neural substrate that mediates this behavior, the song system. When a female chick is exposed to 17beta-estradiol her song system is subsequently masculinized. Either testosterone or 5agr-dihydrotestosterone may then induce such a female to sing when an adult.

Submitted on October 1, 1979
Revised on January 23, 1980


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