SEXUAL DIFFERENTIATION OF BEHAVIOR AND LH SECRETION

这项提案中概述的研究目标是 儿童性别差异的机制阐释(S) 对类固醇激素的行为和激素反应 雌激素和黄体酮。要测量的端点有两个 由这些类固醇引发的生理事件，即 性感受性(前凸)的表达和刺激 黄体生成素(LH)分泌。所获得的数据将 通过以下方式加深我们对基本细胞机制的理解 哪种类固醇激素对中枢神经系统有影响 系统，并有助于我们对性的了解 这些机制的分化。 实验的重点是调节细胞内的 类固醇激素受体在特定脑组织中的浓度 核团与5-羟色胺能系统参与 确定对类固醇激素的反应性。成年男性 将对雌性大鼠进行研究，对雄性激素轻度升高的大鼠也进行研究 雌性大鼠，因为它对类固醇失去了反应性 荷尔蒙，当它从发情周期状态发展到一种 无排卵的症状。 一种新的类固醇激素方案，能够诱导 黄体酮促进的性腺切除男性和 雌性，将被用来检验这样的假设，即 大脑特定核团中的胞浆孕激素受体 正如一些调查人员所声称的那样，存在性别差异。 此外，这种激素治疗触发黄体生成素的能力 雄性和无性期、雄激素分泌的雌性将出现激增 已评估。因为据报道，5-羟色胺的活性 抑制男性前凸的表达，联合使用 将使用药理和损伤技术来研究 中枢5-羟色胺能系统的调节作用 类固醇诱导的前凸、促黄体生成素的分泌和激素浓度 特异性脑核团中的类固醇激素受体 类固醇对性行为和黄体生成素分泌的影响。 最后，类固醇激素的性别差异对 5-羟色胺受体浓度与解剖学 含5-羟色胺神经元和类固醇的共存 将对大脑中积累的细胞进行评估，以便 阐明这两者之间的相互作用，这可能是 对类固醇反应的性别差异负责 荷尔蒙。

The objective of the research outlined in this proposal is the elucidation of the mechanism(s) underlying sex differences in behavioral and hormonal responsiveness to the steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone. The endpoints to be measured are two physiological events triggered by these steriods, namely the expression of sexual receptivity (lordosis) and the stimulation of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. The data obtained will enhance our understanding of the basic cellular mechanisms by which steroid hormones exert effects on the central nervous system, and contribute to our knowledge of the sexual differentiation of these mechanisms. The focus of the experiments is on the regulation of the concentration of steroid hormone receptors in specific brain nuclei and the participation of the serotonergic system in determining responsiveness to steroid hormones. The adult male and female rat will be studied, as will the lightly androgenized female rat, as it exhibits a loss of responsiveness to steroid hormones, as it progresses from a state of estrous cyclicity to one of anovulation. A novel steroid hormone regimen, capable of inducing progesterone-facilitated lordosis in gonadectomized males and females, will be used to test the hypothesis that the induction of cytosol progestin receptors in specific nuclei of the brain is sexually differentiated, as some investigators have claimed. Furthermore, the ability of this hormone treatment to trigger LH surges in males and anestrous, androgenized females will be evaluated. Since serotonin activity has been reported to tonically inhibit the expression of lordosis in males, a combination of pharmacological and lesion techniques will be used to study the effects of manipulation of the central serotonergic system on steroid-induced lordosis, LH secretion and the concentration of steroid hormone receptors in specific brain nuclei which mediate the effects of steroids on sexual behavior and LH secretion. Finally, sex differences in the effects of steroid hormones on the concentration of serotonin receptors and anatomical colocalization of serotonin-containing neurons and steroid- accumulating cells in the brain will be evaluated, in order to elucidate interactions between these two, which may be responsible for sex differences in responsiveness to steroid hormones.