Environmental contaminants & neuroecology of reproductive behavior

本课题旨在研究多氯联苯同系物2，4，2 '，4-四氯联苯（TCBs）和3，4，3'，4 '-四氯联苯（TCBs）对实验大鼠的母性行为和性行为的影响。初步观察结果表明，用TCB处理怀孕大鼠会产生行为效应，干扰正常母体行为的表现。提案第一部分中的实验检验了关于TCB这些行为影响的内分泌和神经化学原因的假设。具体来说，这项工作调查如何怀孕和哺乳期的激素调节TCB对多巴胺能通路从黑质基底神经节的毒性作用。该提案的第二部分侧重于产前和新生儿接触TCB对女性性行为发展的影响。这里测试的中心假设是TCB通过影响多巴胺能系统的发育来阻止正常性行为的发育。这些多巴胺能通路负责女性性行为的动机和运动方面。这项工作利用了敏感的行为解剖学和神经化学方法，预期的结果将大大扩展我们对环境污染物对大脑功能和行为影响的理解。这项工作也开始区分TCB对发育中的神经系统的直接作用和对孕产妇护理质量变化的间接结果。

This project is designed to investigate the effects of PCB congeners of PCB congeners 2,4,2',4 tetrachlorobiphenyl and 3,4,3',4' tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCBs) on the maternal and sexual behaviors of laboratory rats. Preliminary observations indicate that treatment of pregnant rats with TCBs produce behavioral effects that interfere with the display of normal maternal behavior. The experiments included in the first part of the proposal test hypothesis about the endocrine and neurochemical causes of these behavioral effects of TCBs. Specifically, the work investigates how the hormones of pregnancy and lactation modulate the toxic effects of TCBs on the dopaminergic pathway from the substantial nigra to the basal ganglia. The second part of the proposal focuses on the effects of prenatal and neonatal exposure to TCBs on the development of female sexual behavior. The central hypothesis tested here is that TCBs prevent the development of normal sexual behavior by affecting the development of dopaminergic systems. These dopaminergic pathways are responsible for the motivational and motoric aspects of female sexual behavior. This work makes use of sensitive behavioral anatomical and neurochemical approaches and the anticipated results will greatly expand our understanding of the effects of environmental contaminants on brain function and behavior. This work also begins to differentiate between developmental effects of TCBs that are due to direct actions on the developing nervous system from those that are the indirect result of change sin the quality of maternal care.