NEUROANATOMY OF PEPTIDES REGULATING MALE MATING BEHAVIOR

性腺类固醇激素在调节雄性生殖系统中起着重要作用。 交配行为 有证据表明类固醇调节交配 通过作用于边缘系统中的三个目标区域，即内侧 杏仁核（M），终纹床核 （BNST）和内侧视前区（MPOA）。 这些区域的神经元 积累性腺类固醇，并在调节 交配行为 然而，类固醇影响细胞的机制 参与交配调节的神经元的功能 完全理解 我的实验室和其他人最近的研究表明， 这些区域的神经元和终末含有多种神经活性物质， 肽，并且这些肽的水平由性腺调节。 类固醇. 由于这些神经肽可能在神经系统中发挥作用， 传递，这些神经元中存在的神经肽水平可能 影响它们调节交配行为的能力。 因此，一种方法是 影响交配行为的类固醇是通过调节 这些神经肽。 本提案中研究的目标是 确定类固醇是否调节雄性仓鼠的交配行为， 调节中膜内肽类神经递质的产生 杏仁核、终纹床核和 内侧视前区 目前，关于这方面的信息很少。 M、MPOA或BNST中神经元所含的特定类型的神经肽 参与交配行为的调节。 此外，为了 阐明肽能神经元的功能组织， 交配行为，重要的是要确定是否具体 神经肽存在于单独的神经元中，或者它们是否共同存在 在单个神经元中。束追踪 最后，为了帮助澄清 类固醇调节肽水平的细胞机制，它是 重要的是要确定睾酮本身或其一种 雄激素或雌激素代谢物，调节神经元中的肽水平 M、MPOA和BNST。 为了解决这些问题，我建议开展 几项解剖学和行为学研究 首先，我将使用单和 免疫组织化学双标记技术鉴定神经肽 M、MPOA和BNST内的神经元中所含。 第二，我将联合收割机 逆行追踪和免疫组化技术， 确定哪些肽包含在M，MPOA的投射神经元中 和BNST（即，神经回路中的神经元调节交配 行为）。 第三，对于上述研究所涉及的神经肽， 在涉及交配的区域之间的神经传递中发挥作用 行为，我将这些肽注射到M、MPOA和/或BNST中， 决定它们对交配行为的影响。 最后，我将决定 用睾酮或其代谢物治疗的效果（在 阉割动物）对M、MPOA和BNST神经元中肽水平的影响。 这些研究将阐明神经肽在调节 交配行为，并将阐明类固醇的机制， 影响参与交配调节的神经元的功能 行为

Gonadal steroids play a critical role in the regulation of male copulatory behavior. Evidence suggests that steroids regulate mating behavior by acting on three target areas in the limbic system, the medial nucleus of the amygdala (M), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and the medial preoptic area (MPOA). Neurons in these areas accumulate gonadal steroids and play a critical role in the regulation of mating behavior. However, the mechanisms by which steroids influence the function of neurons involved in the regulation of copulation are not fully understood. Recent studies in my lab and others have shown that neurons and terminals in these areas contain a variety of neuroactive peptides, and that the levels of these peptides are regulated by gonadal steroids. Since these neuropeptides may play a role in neural transmission, the levels of neuropeptides present in these neurons may influence their ability to mediate mating behavior. Thus, one way by which steroids may influence mating behavior is by regulating the levels of these neuropeptides. The goal of the studies in this proposal is to determine whether steroids regulate male .hamster mating behavior by regulating the production of peptide neurotransmitters within the medial nucleus of the amygdala, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the medial preoptic area. Currently, there is little information on the specific types of neuropeptides contained in neurons in M, MPOA, or BNST that are involved in the regulation of mating behavior. Moreover, to clarify the functional organization of peptidergic neurons involved in mating behavior, it is important to determine whether specific neuropeptides are present in separate neurons, or whether they co-occur in individual neurons. tract tracing. Finally, to help clarify the cellular mechanisms by which steroids regulate peptide levels, it is important to determine whether testosterone itself, or one of its androgenic or estrogenic metabolites, regulates peptide levels in neurons in M, MPOA and BNST. To address these issues, I propose to carry out several anatomical and behavioral studies. First, I will use single-and double-label immunohistochemical techniques to identify the neuropeptides contained in neurons within M, MPOA and BNST. Second, I will combine retrograde pathway tracing and immunohistochemical techniques to determine which peptides are contained in projection neurons of M, MPOA and BNST (i.e., neurons in the neural circuits mediating mating behavior). Third, for neuropeptides implicated by the above studies to play a role in neurotransmission between areas involved in mating behavior, I will inject these peptides into M, MPOA and/or BNST and determine their effects on mating behavior. Finally, I will determine the effects of treatment with testosterone or its metabolites (in castrated animals) on peptide levels in neurons in M, MPOA and BNST. These studies will clarify the role of neuropeptides in the regulation of mating behavior, and will clarify the mechanisms by which steroids influence the function of neurons involved in the regulation of mating behavior.