Lowering of Sympathetic Burst Frequency in Post-Pubertal Female but not Male Rats.

Preliminary results suggest that following the onset of puberty in female rats, sympathetic burst frequency decreases over time, changes not seen in age-matched male rats. Given CVD is significantly lower in premenopausal women, lower sympathetic nerve activity as a result of puberty may provide a mechanistic basis by which decreased sympathetic burst frequency protects against CVD. Future experiments may be conducted to explore other burst characteristics (e.g. burst amplitude and width), and the role of specific female sex hormones, to further understand sex-dependent development of CVD.