Integration of Neuroendocrine and Vocal Mechanisms

这些研究将确定神经肽(精氨酸血管催产素，AVT和异催产素，IT)和类固醇激素如何影响神经回路，从而产生脊椎动物的社会行为，在这种情况下是发声。该项目将研究：(1)发声相关神经元神经肽调节的发育和类固醇依赖的可塑性；(2)芳香酶，一种将睾酮转化为雌二醇的酶，通过影响神经肽，直接和/或间接调节类固醇对发声神经元的影响。这些目标将通过神经生理学、神经解剖学、生化和行为方法实现。在鱼类和人类等不同的动物群体中，发声行为是调节社会互动的核心。本实验室研究了两种雄性类型或变种鱼类发声的神经内分泌控制。在军校鱼中，“唱歌”的雄性用一首“歌”来向雌性求爱，而“偷偷”的雄性既不唱歌也不追求雌性，而是从唱歌的雄性那里窃取受精，从而将雌性吸引到它们的巢中。虽然所有的成年人都会发出激励性的叫声，但在这里，声音的产生也因男性和女性的社会背景而不同。建立性别和形态典型发声的模式生成器的神经生理学特性直接受到视前区-下丘脑前部的AVT和IT(哺乳动物中精氨酸加压素和催产素的鱼类等价物)的作用的影响，下丘脑是参与控制所有脊椎动物的社会/发声行为的大脑区域。AVT和IT的调节模式依赖于社会/发声行为，而不是性腺性别。这些模式也与发声脑区芳香酶水平的差异相平行。总之，这些发现提供了一个独特的机会来研究多肽和类固醇激素对大脑回路的单独和/或交互影响，而大脑回路决定了社会行为。

These studies will identify how the neuropeptides (arginine vasotocin, AVT and isotocin, IT) and steroid hormones influence neural circuits that generate vertebrate social behaviors, in this case vocalization. The project will investigate: (1) the development and steroid-dependent plasticity of neuropeptide modulation of vocal-related neurons, and (2) the role of aromatase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to estradiol, in regulating steroid effects on vocal neurons either directly and/or indirectly via their influence on neuropeptides. The goals will be achieved using neurophysiological, neuroanatomical, biochemical and behavioral methods. Vocalization behaviors are central to mediating social interactions in animal groups as diverse as fish and humans. This lab studies the neuroendocrine control of vocalization in fish with two male types or morphs. Among midshipman fish, "singing" males court females with a "song", while "sneaking" males neither sing nor court females but instead steal fertilizations from singing males that have attracted females to their nest. Although all adults produce agonistic calls, sound production differs here too with social context for the male morphs and females. The neurophysiological properties of a pattern generator that establishes sex- and morph-typical vocalizations is directly influenced by the action of AVT and IT (the fish equivalents of arginine vasopressin and oxytocin in mammals) in the preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus, a brain region implicated in the control of social/vocal behaviors across all vertebrates. The pattern of AVT and IT modulation is dependent on social/vocal behavior, not gonadal sex. These patterns are also paralleled by differences in aromatase levels in vocal brain regions. Together, these findings provide a unique opportunity to investigate the separate and/or interactive effects of peptides and steroid hormones on brain circuitry that determines social behaviors.