Steroid Control of Brain Peptide Pathways

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9514305 Boyd There is strong evidence for sexual differences in the central nervous system, and in the physiology and behavior of most vertebrates. The steroid hormones derived from the gonads of males and females are necessary for the generation and maintenance of these differences. However, they are not solely responsible for these differences and other chemical mediators in the brain, notably neuropeptides, subserve critical functions in the manifestation of the anatomical differences. Therefore, a central issue is the definition of the interrelationship between steroid hormones and neuropeptides in the brain. The present experiments address this issue and focus on the posterior pituitary neuropeptide system, which has been implicated in fluid balance, lactation, learning and memory, reproductive behaviors, and parental behaviors. Dr. Boyd will determine whether a direct neurochemical link is possible between the steroid hormones and neuropeptide system containing arginine vasotocin and how the steroids modulate the ability of identified neurons to produce vasotocin. She will also establish the connections of these neuropeptide-containing neurons in the brain. These results are crucial to understanding the basic mechanisms underlying chemical messenger interactions in the brain. Furthermore, they will generate important information about the origin of sex differences in neuroanatomical structures and provide a basis for gender differences in behavior, prevalent in most species.