Sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN) is a cluster of cells located in the preoptic area of hypothalamus of the brain that is believed to be related to sexual behavior in animals. The volume of SDN is significantly larger (about twice) in males than in females, caused mainly by greater cell number and larger cell size, in male SDN. SDN and its homologues widely exist in human, mammal and some other animal brains, including the third interstitial nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus (INAH3) in humans, ovine sexually dimorphic nucleus (oSDN) in the medial preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus (MPOA/AH) in sheep, sexually dimorphic nucleus in the preoptic area (SDN-POA) in rats, anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHdc) in macaques, specific area in medial preoptic nucleus (POM) in quails, etc.
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