Neurochemical Organization of Feeding Behavior

进食行为的神经化学组织

• 批准号: 9113118
• 负责人: Charles Lent
• 金额: $ 21.72万
• 依托单位: Utah State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1992
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1992-06-01 至 1996-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9113118&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Neurochemical; Organization; Feeding; Behavior

In certain invertebrate model systems which contain large, recognizable nerve cells, the individual nerve cells are known to control behavior by the release of specific neurochemical transmitters. In one of these model systems, the brain of the leech, the neurotransmitter serotonin directly activates the organs of ingestion. These effector neurons which regulate feeding behavior are in turn controlled by the activity of two classes of sensory cells. Sensory cells that detect potential prey organisms excite the neurons to fire and release serotonin. Sensory cells that respond to distension of the body resulting from a meal both inhibit the feeding neurons from firing and terminate feeding. In this award Dr. Charles Lent will investigate the relationship betwen feeding behavior and neuronal firing patterns; his studies will also use specific nerve cell staining and sensitive chemical assays to describe the anatomy and transmitters of sensory cells that control the activity and serotonin levels in the large nerve cells that are responsible for feeding. Because the behavioral states of hunger and satiation are separable, these studies will be able to demonstrate the way in which communication between nerve cells regulates the amount of transmitter that expresses either one or the other of these two behavioral states. This research will contribute fundamental knowledge about the neurochemical organization and control of feeding behavior.

在某些包含大型可识别神经细胞的无脊椎动物模型系统中，已知单个神经细胞通过释放特定的神经化学递质来控制行为。在这些模型系统之一（水蛭的大脑）中，神经递质血清素直接激活摄入器官。这些调节摄食行为的效应神经元反过来又受到两类感觉细胞的活动控制。检测潜在猎物生物的感觉细胞会刺激神经元放电并释放血清素。对进餐引起的身体膨胀做出反应的感觉细胞会抑制进食神经元的放电并终止进食。在该奖项中，查尔斯·伦特 (Charles Lent) 博士将研究进食行为与神经元放电模式之间的关系；他的研究还将使用特定的神经细胞染色和敏感的化学测定来描述感觉细胞的解剖结构和递质，这些细胞控制负责进食的大神经细胞的活动和血清素水平。由于饥饿和饱足的行为状态是可分离的，因此这些研究将能够证明神经细胞之间的通信如何调节表达这两种行为状态中的一种或另一种的递质的数量。这项研究将贡献有关神经化学组织和进食行为控制的基础知识。