NEURAL CONTROL OF SOCIAL BEHAVIORS IN PRAIRIE VOLES

描述（改编自申请人摘要）：与 包括交配在内的同种性导致了社会的变化， 雄性草原田鼠（M. Ochrogaster），一个区别于 由一种在少数哺乳动物中观察到的社会性组织所组成。 这些行为 变化，包括对配偶和巢穴的偏好 保护，可能涉及神经肽精氨酸加压素（AVP）。 拟议的实验将通过行为观察和 组织学分析什么类型的感觉刺激期间收到 社会互动对改变社会行为至关重要， 这个物种，以及他们的前脑AVP的变化， 活动 此外，床核AVP投射的特定作用 和内侧杏仁核到外侧隔， 交配后的行为表现将采用 AVP细胞体的神经毒性损伤和AVP的位点特异性拮抗作用 AVP受体

DESCRIPTION (adapted from applicant's abstract): Interactions with conspecifics which include copulation result in changes in the social behavior of male prairie voles (M. Ochrogaster), a species distinguished by a sociosexual organization observed in few mammals. These behavioral changes, which include preferences for their mate and nest site protection, likely involve the neuropeptide arginine-vasopressin (AVP.) The proposed experiments will determine via behavioral observations and histological analyses what type of sensory stimulation received during social interactions is critical for changes in the social behavior of this species, as well as for alterations in their forebrain AVP activity. Further, a specific role for the AVP projections from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial amygdala to the lateral septum for post-copulatory behavioral displays will be investigated using neurotoxic lesions of AVP cell bodies and site-specific antagonism of AVP receptors.