PRENATAL ALCOHOL AND SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC BEHAVIOR

虽然生殖行为已被发现不受胎儿 酒精暴露（FAE），初步证据表明，FAE可以 干扰成年人在行为中的性二态性表达， 在组织上依赖于围产期雄激素状态。 具体地说， 成年FAE男性被发现表现出女性化的糖精偏好 模式，而FAE女性被发现表现出男性化的模式， 相对于成对喂养的对照。 据推测，女性化的 在FAE雄性中观察到的模式是由于乙醇的抑制作用 对睾丸雄激素的影响 进一步 假设在一汽女性中观察到的男性化模式是由于 酒精对肾上腺的刺激作用， 肾上腺分泌的弱雄激素类固醇的循环水平 本提案旨在审查这种FAE的普遍性 对其他行为的影响， 取决于围产期雄激素水平。 要研究的行为是 糖精偏好、迷宫学习和主动回避。 此外，本发明还 这项提案旨在确定是否给予睾酮 在出生前或出生后， 他们的成年表现对这些行为通过抵消抑郁 酒精对睾丸功能的影响 试图使成人正常化 女性的表现将通过给予西咪替丁， 雄激素受体阻滞剂，在产前和产后期间。 将测定FAE新生儿的睾酮和皮质酮水平 在所有的实验中。 大脑、睾丸、肾上腺和 此外，还将测量这些幼仔的生殖器官， 测量肛门和生殖器的距离 从这些研究中获得的数据可能有助于进一步开发动物模型 旨在研究行为和学习的潜在机制， 在中度至高度消费的母亲所生子女中观察到的缺陷 怀孕期间的酒精含量

Although reproductive behavior has been found not to be affected by Fetal Alcohol Exposure (FAE), preliminary evidence suggests that FAE can interfere with adult expression of sexual dimorphism in behaviors which are organizationally dependent upon perinatal androgen status. Specifically, adult FAE males were found to exhibit a feminized saccharin preference pattern whereas FAE females were found to exhibit a masculinized pattern relative to pair-fed controls. It is hypothesized that the feminized pattern observed in FAE males is due to the suppressive effect of ethanol on testicular androgens during the perinatal period. It is further hypothesized that the masculinized pattern observed in FAW females is due to the stimulatory influence of ethanol on the adrenals, thereby elevating the circulating levels of weakly androgenic steroids from the adrenals. The present proposal is designed to examine the pervasiveness of this FAE influence on other behaviors which are known to be organizationally dependent upon perinatal androgen levels. The behaviors to be studied are saccharin preference, maze learning and active avoidance. Additionally, this proposal seeks to establish whether administering testosterone propionate to males during the prenatal or postnatal period will normalize their adult performance on these behaviors by counteracting the depressive effects of ethanol on testicular function. An attempt to normalize adult female performance will be accomplished by administering Cimetidine, an androgen receptor blocker, during the prenatal and postnatal periods. Testosterone and corticosterone levels will be determined in FAE neonates in all experiments. The weights of brain, testes, adrenals and reproductive organs will also be measured in these pups in addition to measuring ano-genital distance. Data derived from these studies may help to further develop animal models designed to study the mechanisms underlying the behavioral and learning deficits observed in children born to mothers consuming moderate to high levels of alcohol during pregnancy.