INAH-3

INAH-3全称前下丘脑间质核-3（third interstitial nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus），是人类下丘脑的一个核（英语：Nucleus (neuroanatomy)）。此神经核属于性别二态核（英语：Sexually dimorphic nucleus），男性的INAH-3体积比女性的大许多^[1]，且同性恋男性的INAH-3大小比异性恋男性小，而与女性的大小接近^[2]。

相关研究

前下丘脑间质核（INAH）的概念最早于1989年由加利福尼亚大学洛杉矶分校的研究人员提出，指人类视前区-下丘脑前部（preoptic-anterior hypothalamic area，PO-AHA）^{[注 1]}新发现的4个神经核，即INAH-1、INAH-2、INAH-3与INAH-4，其中男性的INAH-3体积约为女性的2.8倍大^[3]。

1991年，美国神经生物学家西蒙·列维（英语：Simon LeVay）在《科学》期刊发表论文指出INAH-3可能为与性倾向有关的关键脑区，同性恋男性的INAH-3体积比异性恋男性的小，而与女性的大小相似^[2]^[4]。列维提出解释此差异的三个假说，一为同性恋与异性恋男性的INAH-3大小在出生前或婴儿时期即具差异，进而影响个体的性倾向；二为其体积差异为后天造成，即个体的性感受与行为塑造了INAH-3的大小差异；三为此差异与性倾向并不直接相关，而是特定干扰因素所致。其中他认为第一个假说最为可能，且基于大鼠实验的结果而认为第二个假说为真的可能性不大^[5]^[6]。后续研究发现同性恋男性的INAH-3较小是神经缠绕较紧密造成，其INAH-3的神经元总截面积与神经元总数并不小于异性恋男性，且HIV病毒感染对INAH-3的大小没有影响^[7]。

另外还有研究探讨INAH-3与性别认同的关联。荷兰神经生物学家迪克·斯瓦普（英语：Dick Swaab）发现跨性别女性的INAH-3体积与生理女性相似，而跨性别男性的INAH-3体积则与生理男性相仿^[8]。

脚注

^ PO-AHA的功能包括调控促性腺激素的分泌、母性行为（英语：Maternal behavior in vertebrates）与性相关行为。

参考文献

^ Allen LS; Hines M; Shryne JE; Gorski RA. Two sexually dimorphic cell groups in the human brain.. J Neurosci. 1989, 9 (2): 497–506. PMC 6569815 . PMID 2918374. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.09-02-00497.1989 .
^ ^2.0 ^2.1 LeVay, S. A difference in hypothalamic structure between heterosexual and homosexual men.. Science. 1991, 253 (5023): 1034–7. Bibcode:1991Sci...253.1034L. PMID 1887219. S2CID 1674111. doi:10.1126/science.1887219.
^ Allen, L.S.; Hines, M.; Shryne, J.E.; Gorski, R.A. Two sexually dimorphic cell groups in the human brain.. The Journal of Neuroscience. 1989, 9 (2): 497–506. PMC 6569815 . PMID 2918374. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.09-02-00497.1989 .
^ Dale Purves (编). Central Nervous System Dimorphisms Related to Reproductive Behaviors. Neuroscience 2:ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc. 2001.
^ LeVay, S.; Hamer, D.H. Evidence for a biological influence in male homosexuality.. Scientific American. 1994, 270 (5): 44–9. Bibcode:1994SciAm.270e..44L. PMID 8197444. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0594-44.
^ Simon LeVay. Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why: The Science of Sexual Orientation. Oxford University Press. 2011: 195. ISBN 978-0-19-973767-3.
^ Byne, William; Tobet, Stuart; Mattiace, Linda A.; Lasco, Mitchell S.; Kemether, Eileen; Edgar, Mark A.; Morgello, Susan; Buchsbaum, Monte S.; Jones, Liesl B. The Interstitial Nuclei of the Human Anterior Hypothalamus: An Investigation of Variation with Sex, Sexual Orientation, and HIV Status. Hormones and Behavior. 2001-09-01, 40 (2): 86–92. PMID 11534967. S2CID 3175414. doi:10.1006/hbeh.2001.1680.
^ Garcia-Falgueras, A.; Swaab, D.F. A sex difference in the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus: relationship to gender identity.. Brain : A Journal of Neurology. 2008, 131 (Pt 12): 3132–46. PMID 18980961. doi:10.1093/brain/awn276 .

[3] PO-AHA的功能包括调控促性腺激素的分泌、母性行为（英语：Maternal behavior in vertebrates）与性相关行为。

[1] Allen LS; Hines M; Shryne JE; Gorski RA. Two sexually dimorphic cell groups in the human brain.. J Neurosci. 1989, 9 (2): 497–506. PMC 6569815 . PMID 2918374. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.09-02-00497.1989 .

[LeVay_1991-2] 2.0 ^2.1 LeVay, S. A difference in hypothalamic structure between heterosexual and homosexual men.. Science. 1991, 253 (5023): 1034–7. Bibcode:1991Sci...253.1034L. PMID 1887219. S2CID 1674111. doi:10.1126/science.1887219.

[4] Allen, L.S.; Hines, M.; Shryne, J.E.; Gorski, R.A. Two sexually dimorphic cell groups in the human brain.. The Journal of Neuroscience. 1989, 9 (2): 497–506. PMC 6569815 . PMID 2918374. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.09-02-00497.1989 .

[5] Dale Purves (编). Central Nervous System Dimorphisms Related to Reproductive Behaviors. Neuroscience 2:ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc. 2001.

[LeVay_1994-6] LeVay, S.; Hamer, D.H. Evidence for a biological influence in male homosexuality.. Scientific American. 1994, 270 (5): 44–9. Bibcode:1994SciAm.270e..44L. PMID 8197444. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0594-44.

[7] Simon LeVay. Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why: The Science of Sexual Orientation. Oxford University Press. 2011: 195. ISBN 978-0-19-973767-3.

[ByneINAH3HIV-8] Byne, William; Tobet, Stuart; Mattiace, Linda A.; Lasco, Mitchell S.; Kemether, Eileen; Edgar, Mark A.; Morgello, Susan; Buchsbaum, Monte S.; Jones, Liesl B. The Interstitial Nuclei of the Human Anterior Hypothalamus: An Investigation of Variation with Sex, Sexual Orientation, and HIV Status. Hormones and Behavior. 2001-09-01, 40 (2): 86–92. PMID 11534967. S2CID 3175414. doi:10.1006/hbeh.2001.1680.

[Garcia-Falgueras_2008-9] Garcia-Falgueras, A.; Swaab, D.F. A sex difference in the hypothalamic uncinate nucleus: relationship to gender identity.. Brain : A Journal of Neurology. 2008, 131 (Pt 12): 3132–46. PMID 18980961. doi:10.1093/brain/awn276 .

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