HORMONAL CONTROL OF INGESTIVE BEHAVIORS

以前的工作表明，室旁核的 下丘脑（PVN）是控制神经元活动的关键脑部位。 摄食行为 此外，我们和其他人发现， PVN的雌激素刺激足以降低食物 卵巢切除雌性动物的摄入量和体重。 拟议 实验将扩展神经解剖学的研究， 雌激素抑制食物摄入的位点，也将 研究潜在的生化机制 行为-行为关系。 具体来说，假设 雌激素对饮食的影响可以通过以下方式减弱 PVN的病变，以及食物的雌激素抑制 摄入量取决于体内蛋白质合成的变化， PVN的神经元。 还假设， PVN不会阻止雌二醇促进脊柱前凸。 实验1将评估的行为反应， 卵巢切除大鼠PVN病变外周注射 雌二醇 在实验2中，蛋白质或RNA合成的抑制剂 (e.g.,茴香霉素，放线菌素D）将直接应用于 卵巢切除大鼠外周注射 雌二醇 这样我们就能评估 室旁核内蛋白质合成的变化 并研究一种可能的生化机制 这一现象背后。 这些实验的结果 将有望证实并扩展先前的发现， PVN是一个重要的脑区， 抑制食物摄入。 未来的研究可以检查 雌激素、儿茶酚胺和 PVN中的神经肽， 对于雌激素对摄食的影响， 指定的. 这些实验对以下方面具有重要意义： 了解内分泌相关的机制 饮食失调，如神经性厌食症和某些形式的 肥胖 此外，这些研究的信息将 有助于我们理解大脑的机制， 摄食行为

Previous work has shown that the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) is a critical brain site for the control of feeding behavior. In addition, we and others have found that estrogenic stimulation of the PVN is sufficient to lower food intake and body weight in ovariectomized females. The proposed experiments will extend the investigation of the neuroanatomical locus of the estrogenic suppression of food intake, and will also examine a possible biochemical mechanism underlying this hormone-behavior relationship. Specifically, it is hypothesized that the effects of estorgens on eating can be attenuated by lesions of the PVN, and that the estrogenci suppression of food intake is dependent upon changes in protein synthesis within neurons of the PVN. It is also hypothesized that lesions of the PVN will not prevent the facilitation of lordosis by estradiol. Experiment 1 will evaluate the behavioral responsiveness of ovariectomized rats with PVN lesions to peripheral injections of estradiol. In experiment 2, inhibitors of protein or RNA synthesis (e.g., anisomycin, actinomycin-D) will be directly applied to the PVN of ovariectomized rats given peripheral injections of estradiol. In this way we will be able to evaluae the importance of protein synthesis within the PVN for estrogen-iduced changes in eating, and investigate one possible biochemical mechanism underlying this phenomenon. The results of these experiments will hopefully confirm and extend previous findings which indicate that the PVN is an important brain region for the estrogenic suppression of food intake. Future studies could then examine the interactions between estrogens, catecholamines, and neuropeptides in the PVN so that the exact biochemical substrate for the effects of estrogens on feeding could be more clearly specified. These experiments have important implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying endocrine-related eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and some forms of obesity. In addition, information from these studies will contribute to our understanding of brain mechanisms involved in feeding behavior.