PIVOTAL ROLE OF ENERGY METABOLISM IN CONTROL OF BEHAVIOR

NIMH研究科学家发展奖的申请是 专注于感官和神经内分泌机制的改变 女性面对的生殖生理和行为 精力充沛的挑战(如食物短缺或增加锻炼 要求)。 这项工作与许多健康问题有关。具体地说， 这项工作对理解与不孕症有关的 体重过度减重和体重增加，以及影响 热量平衡，如糖尿病和低血糖。更广泛地说， 这项工作将阐明新陈代谢和 神经系统与营养、运动、能量之间的联系 新陈代谢和心理健康。 这项工作的重点是雌性啮齿类动物，因为它们精致 对能源供需变化敏感。例如，当他们 经历长期的食物短缺或环境温度下降 它们会改变食物偏好和觅食策略，建立 更大的巢，削弱或暂停生殖努力，或者在极端情况下， 进入一轮冬眠。这些回应都可以被视为 适应不断变化的能源需求。中心主题是 新陈代谢能量供应的感官探测器的关键作用。 申请者已经证明，间情期、筑巢和冬眠可以 由阻断细胞可获得性的治疗启动，以及 因此，特定代谢底物的氧化。她未来的工作将是 围绕感官的性质和位置(解剖位置) 代谢燃料可获得性的探测器以及它们之间的接口 带有神经内分泌系统控制发情周期、食物的检测器 摄入量和体温调节行为。她将研究 脑内代谢对这些行为的挑战 显微注射，特定脑干核团的损伤，束追踪和 C-fos免疫细胞化学。

This application for an NIMH Research Scientist Development Award is focused on the sensory and neuroendocrine mechanisms that change reproductive physiology and behavior when females are faced with energetic challenges (such as food shortages or increased exercise requirements). This work is relevant to a number of health issues. Specifically, the work has implications for understanding infertility associated with excessive body weight loss and gain, and with diseases that affect caloric homeostasis, such as diabetes and hypoglycemia. More generally, this work will elucidate the interaction between metabolism and the nervous system and the links among nutrition, exercise, energy metabolism, and mental health. The work is focused on female rodents because they are exquisitely sensitive to changes in energy supply and demand. For example, when they experience prolonged food shortages or decreases in ambient temperature they will change their food preferences and foraging strategies, build larger nests, attenuate or suspend reproductive effort, or in extremes, enter a bout of hibernation. These responses may all be viewed as adaptations to changing energy requirements. The central theme is the pivotal role of sensory detectors of metabolic energy availability. The applicant has shown that anestrus, nest building, and hibernation can be initiated by treatments that block the cellular availability, and hence oxidation, of specific metabolic substrates. Her future work will revolve around the nature and location (anatomical sites) of sensory detectors of metabolic fuel availability and the interface of these detectors with neuroendocrine systems controlling estrous cycles, food intake, and thermoregulatory behaviors. She will study the effects of metabolic challenges on these behaviors using intracerebral microinjections, lesions of specific brain stem nuclei, tract-tracing and c-fos immunocytochemistry.