Neural Hormonal Regulation of Sound Pattern Recognition and Sexual Behavior

Ibn-9808834几个动物模型系统已经成功地阐明了我们对神经系统如何控制行为的理解。雌性蟋蟀对代表潜在配偶的重要行为声音的反应就是这些模型之一，它提供了几个优点。最重要的是，蟋蟀的神经系统相当容易接近和单一，识别出的听觉神经细胞在调节雌性对雄性叫声的相当复杂的定向反应方面发挥着明显的重要作用。单个神经细胞可以在行为测试之前被光灭活(使用激光和荧光染料杀死单个细胞)，以确定该细胞在行为中的作用。研究这一系统的目标一直是，并将继续确定听觉系统中涉及的细胞如何在回路中协同工作，使雌性蟋蟀能够识别其物种雄性蟋蟀的叫声，并定位该叫声的来源。由于大多数动物和人类的交流系统也涉及到交流信号的识别和定位，通过研究这个模型系统所学到的将进一步加深我们对动物交流是如何由神经系统完成和控制的一般理解。除了这些侧重于增加我们对通信系统的了解的目标外，还计划取得其他几项成就。博士后机会将包括神经生物学方面的培训和经验，包括学习/使用这些光失活/行为技术来评估神经细胞活动和行为之间的因果关系。该基金的调查人员和这些博士后候选人将提供具体的培训，并让几名研究生(MS水平)和本科生参与这项研究。安德鲁斯大学的研究培训计划将在那里完成这项工作，该计划已经并将继续吸引少数族裔和女性参加实验室课程，这些课程将为本科生研究提供机会，包括本提案中概述的神经生物学研究机会。许多参与这一项目的学生将能够在迅速发展的神经科学领域继续接受更高级的培训。

LAY ABSTRACT IBN-9808834 Several animal model systems have been successful in illuminating our understanding of how the nervous system controls behavior. The response of female crickets to behaviorally significant sounds representing potential mates is one of these models and it offers several advantages. Most important the cricket's nervous system is rather accessible and single, identified auditory nerve cells play demonstrably important roles in the regulation of the rather complex orientation response of females to the calls of males. The single nerve cells can be photoinactivated (killing an individual cell using a laser and a fluorescent dye) prior to behavioral testing, to determine that cell's role in behavior. The goal of studying this system has been, and will continue to be to determine how the cells involved in the auditory system work together in a circuit to allow the female cricket to recognize the calling song of the male of its species and to locate the source of that call. Since most animals and human communication systems also involve recognition and localization of the communicative signal, what is learned by examining this model system will further our understanding how animal communication is accomplished and controlled by nervous systems in general. Besides these goals, which focus on increasing our understanding of communication systems, several other accomplishments are planned. Post-doctoral opportunities will involve training and experience in neurobiology including learning/using these photoinactivation/behavioral techniques to evaluate causal relationships between nerve cell activity and behavior. The investigators of the grant and these post-doctoral candidates will provide specific training and involve several graduate students (at the MS level) and undergraduates in this research. The research trai ning program at Andrews University, where this work will be done, has and will continue to attract minorities and women into laboratory courses that lead to opportunities for undergraduate research including research opportunities in neurobiology outlined in this proposal. Many of the students that participate in such a project would be able to continue on for more advanced training in the rapidly growing fields of neuroscience.