Neural and Chemosensory Control of Behavior

9521208爱德华兹生殖行为对所有物种的生存至关重要。 生殖需要睾丸激素，激素通过增加雄性对雌性的性反应来激活雄性的交配。 对于许多物种来说，性状态是通过气味来传达的，嗅觉对雄性的性唤起起着重要的作用。 爱德华兹博士建议研究嗅觉系统和大脑中对气味敏感的神经元群体调节男性生殖行为的神经通路。 神经解剖学技术将用于识别雄激素敏感神经元和交配期间活跃的神经元。 特别注意将给予一个大脑区域，其中包括小脑角和中央被盖领域。 恢复交配去势男性incerta/被盖睾酮植入物可以显示该地区的重要性，为交配的激素调节。 大病变的不确定性/被盖连续消除交配。 研究小病变对该区域的影响可以帮助确定交配所必需的神经元细胞场，并为旨在揭示雄激素对生殖行为产生影响的投射系统的研究提供基础。 因为这些研究包括性行为的测量（勃起，对女性的性行为），它们与理解男性生殖行为如何在许多物种（包括人类）的大脑组织中表现有关。

9521208 Edwards Reproductive behaviors are essential for the survival of all species. Testicular hormones are required for reproduction, and hormones activate mating in males by actions that increase the sexual responsiveness of males to females. For many species, sexual status is communicated by odors, and olfaction makes an important contribution to sexual arousal in males. Dr. Edwards proposes to examine the neural pathways through which the olfactory system and populations of hormone-sensitive neurons in the brain regulate male reproductive behavior. Neuroanatomical techniques will be used to identify androgen-sensitive neurons and neurons active during mating. Special attention will be given to a brain region that includes the zona incerta and central tegmental field. Restoration of mating in castrate males by incerta/tegmental testosterone implants can show the importance of the region for the hormonal regulation of copulation. Large lesions of the incerta/tegmental continuum eliminate mating. Studying the effect of small lesions to this region can help identify neuronal cell fields essential for copulation, and provide a foundation for studies designed to reveal the projection systems through which androgens exert their effects on reproductive behavior. Because the studies include measures of sexual behaviors (erection, sexual approach towards a female), they have relevance for understanding how male reproductive behavior is represented in the organization of the brain in many species, including man.