NEURAL CONTROL OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

这项研究计划的长期目标是确定大脑是如何 调节生殖行为。 实验室大鼠将用作 模型系统的这项工作，因为已经做了大量的工作， 这个物种使它成为一种有价值的工具。 生殖行为受到调控 由性腺激素作用于特定的大脑部位， 最大化其繁殖潜力所需的行为。 本提案中的实验侧重于生物化学和 内分泌事件必须发生在这些特定的大脑部位， 将荷尔蒙信息转化为整合神经系统的程序 活动 拟议的大部分工作都涉及以下因素的影响 雌激素对调节乙酰胆碱作用的过程的影响 下丘脑和中脑。 看来雌激素能够 改变广泛的大脑区域的胆碱能活动，其中许多区域 一直以来都与情感和生殖有关 行为 更好地了解这些基本的神经内分泌和 生化大脑过程将提供洞察到许多领域有关， 健康，包括生殖、情绪和行为波动 与性腺激素的变化有关。

The long term goal of this research program is to determine how the brain regulates reproductive behavior. The laboratory rat will be used as the model system for this work because the extensive work that has been done on this species makes it a valuable tool. Reproductive behavior is regulated by gonadal hormones which act within specific brain sites to bring about the behaviors that are required to maximize its reproductive potential. The experiments in this proposal focus on the biochemical and endocrinological events that must occur in these specific brain sites to translate the hormonal message into the program of integrated neural activity. Much of the proposed work is concerned with the effects of estrogen upon processes that regulate acetycholine action in the hypothalamus and midbrain. It would appear that estrogen is capable of modifying cholinergic activity in extensive brain regions, many of which have long been associated with emotionality as well as reproductive behavior. A better understanding of these basic neuroendocrine and biochemical brain processes will provide insight into many areas related to health including reproduction, emotionality and behavioral fluctuations that are associated with variations in gonadal hormones.