Our Faculty > Emilie F. Rissman

Emilie F. Rissman

Emilie F. Rissman

Education

  • BA, University of California, Berkeley
  • PhD, Cornell University
  • Postdoc, University of Texas, Austin

Primary Appointment

  • Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics

Contact

Research Interest(s)

Steroid Receptor and Epigenetic Interactions Affecting Behavior

Research Description

Mammalian social behavior is complex, yet a systematic genetic approach can reveal the major genes that regulate behavior. Because many social behaviors are activated only when gonadal steroid hormones are present the genes for steroid hormone receptors are currently under study in our laboratory. We have found that androgen receptor (AR) is required for normal social affiliative behavior in male mice. In addition our work shows that several social behaviors are sexually dimorphic, in part, because of differences in sex chromosome genes. One of our long term goals is to better elucidate the relationship between hormones and sex chromosome genes. In addition we are also interested in the roles that experience play on behavior and how epigenetic mechanisms regulate these changes. Our mouse work is relevant to several sexually dimorphic neurobehavioral diseases including autism spectrum disorder.

Selected Publications

  • Bodo C, Rissman E. New roles for estrogen receptor beta in behavior and neuroendocrinology. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology. 2006;27(2): 217-32. PMID: 16603234
  • Gatewood J, Wills A, Shetty S, Xu J, Arnold A, Burgoyne P, Rissman E. Sex chromosome complement and gonadal sex influence aggressive and parental behaviors in mice. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2006;26(8): 2335-42. PMID: 16495461
  • Imwalle D, Bateman H, Wills A, Honda S, Harada N, Rissman E. Impairment of spatial learning by estradiol treatment in female mice is attenuated by estradiol exposure during development. Hormones and behavior. 2006;50(5): 693-8. PMID: 16884724
  • Kauffman A, Bojkowska K, Wills A, Rissman E. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone-II messenger ribonucleic acid and protein content in the mammalian brain are modulated by food intake. Endocrinology. 2006;147(11): 5069-77. PMID: 16873537
  • Kauffman A, Park J, McPhie-Lalmansingh A, Gottsch M, Bodo C, Hohmann J, Pavlova M, Rohde A, Clifton D, Steiner R, Rissman E. The kisspeptin receptor GPR54 is required for sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2007;27(33): 8826-35. PMID: 17699664
  • McPhie-Lalmansingh A, Tejada L, Weaver J, Rissman E. Sex chromosome complement affects social interactions in mice. Hormones and behavior. 2008;54(4): 565-70. PMID: 18590732 | PMCID: PMC2561329
  • Roles of oestrogen receptors alpha and beta in behavioural neuroendocrinology: beyond Yin/Yang. Journal of neuroendocrinology. 2008;20(6): 873-9. PMID: 18601711 | PMCID: PMC2667101
  • Bodo C, Rissman E. The androgen receptor is selectively involved in organization of sexually dimorphic social behaviors in mice. Endocrinology. 2008;149(8): 4142-50. PMID: 18467440 | PMCID: PMC2488208
  • Tsai H, Grant P, Rissman E. Sex differences in histone modifications in the neonatal mouse brain. Epigenetics : official journal of the DNA Methylation Society. 2008;4(1): 47-53. PMID: 19029819 | PMCID: PMC2667098
  • Kudwa A, Harada N, Honda S, Rissman E. Regulation of progestin receptors in medial amygdala: estradiol, phytoestrogens and sex. Physiology & behavior. 2009;97(2): 146-50. PMID: 19258019 | PMCID: PMC2670950
  • Wolstenholme J, Rissman E, Connelly J. The role of Bisphenol A in shaping the brain, epigenome and behavior. Hormones and behavior. 2010;59(3): 296-305. PMID: 21029734
  • Park J, Bonthius P, Tsai H, Bekiranov S, Rissman E. Amyloid beta precursor protein regulates male sexual behavior. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2010;30(30): 9967-72. PMID: 20668181 | PMCID: PMC3040978
  • Cox K, Gatewood J, Howeth C, Rissman E. Gestational exposure to bisphenol A and cross-fostering affect behaviors in juvenile mice. Hormones and behavior. 2010;58(5): 754-61. PMID: 20691692 | PMCID: PMC2982867
  • Wolstenholme J, Taylor J, Shetty S, Edwards M, Connelly J, Rissman E. Gestational exposure to low dose bisphenol A alters social behavior in juvenile mice. PloS one. 2011;6(9): e25448. PMID: 21980460 | PMCID: PMC3182223
  • McCarver G, Bhatia J, Chambers C, Clarke R, Etzel R, Foster W, Hoyer P, Leeder J, Peters J, Rissman E, Rybak M, Sherman C, Toppari J, Turner K. NTP-CERHR expert panel report on the developmental toxicity of soy infant formula. Birth defects research. Part B, Developmental and reproductive toxicology. 2011;92(5): 421-68. PMID: 21948615
  • Bonthuis P, Patteson J, Rissman E. Acquisition of sexual receptivity: roles of chromatin acetylation, estrogen receptor-alpha, and ovarian hormones. Endocrinology. 2011;152(8): 3172-81. PMID: 21652725 | PMCID: PMC3138229
  • Abel J, Rissman E. Location, location, location: genetic regulation of neural sex differences. Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders. 2011;13(3): 151-61. PMID: 21607612
  • Champagne F, Rissman E. Behavioral epigenetics: a new frontier in the study of hormones and behavior. Hormones and behavior. 2011;59(3): 277-8. PMID: 21419246
  • Cox K, Rissman E. Sex differences in juvenile mouse social behavior are influenced by sex chromosomes and social context. Genes, brain, and behavior. 2011;10(4): 465-72. PMID: 21414140 | PMCID: PMC3107935
  • Abel J, Witt D, Rissman E. Sex differences in the cerebellum and frontal cortex: roles of estrogen receptor alpha and sex chromosome genes. Neuroendocrinology. 2011;93(4): 230-40. PMID: 21325792 | PMCID: PMC3128132
  • Stolzenberg D, Rissman E. Oestrogen-independent, experience-induced maternal behaviour in female mice. Journal of neuroendocrinology. 2011;23(4): 345-54. PMID: 21276101 | PMCID: PMC3064747
  • Wolstenholme J, Edwards M, Shetty S, Gatewood J, Taylor J, Rissman E, Connelly J. Gestational exposure to bisphenol a produces transgenerational changes in behaviors and gene expression. Endocrinology. 2012;153(8): 3828-38. PMID: 22707478 | PMCID: PMC3404345
  • Stolzenberg D, Stevens J, Rissman E. Experience-facilitated improvements in pup retrieval; evidence for an epigenetic effect. Hormones and behavior. 2012;62(2): 128-35. PMID: 22687346 | PMCID: PMC3474355
  • Tejada L, Rissman E. Sex differences in social investigation: effects of androgen receptors, hormones and test partner. Journal of neuroendocrinology. 2012;24(8): 1144-53. PMID: 22487205
  • Bonthuis P, Cox K, Rissman E. X-chromosome dosage affects male sexual behavior. Hormones and behavior. 2012;61(4): 565-72. PMID: 22349083 | PMCID: PMC3319230
  • Addison M, Rissman E. Sexual dimorphism of growth hormone in the hypothalamus: regulation by estradiol. Endocrinology. 2012;153(4): 1898-907. PMID: 22315455 | PMCID: PMC3320260