Male sex behavior and development of the pelvic ganglia

描述(由申请人提供)：拟议研究的目的是澄清产妇护理对实验大鼠生殖神经生物学发展和行为的影响之间的关系。这一目标将通过同时评估产妇护理变化导致的行为和形态变化来实现。该方案的具体目的是：1.确定增强母体刺激对实验大鼠球海绵体脊髓核(SNB)、盆腔大神经节(MPG)发育和雄性生殖行为的影响。2.确定母体刺激影响SNB和MPG形态的机制(S)。3.确定剥夺母体刺激对雄性生殖行为和SNB、MPG发育的影响。这些目标将通过使用两个一般模型来存档，以检查产妇保健的差异对男性生殖健康的影响。一种模型利用了这样的发现，即一些母鼠对其新生后代进行高水平的舔和梳理。这种加强的护理有助于在雄性后代中发展更大的生殖效率。第二种模式是对产妇的忽视，它提供了研究产妇护理严重减少导致男性生殖功能缺陷的机制的机会。这两种模型在人类中都有相似之处，加强皮肤对皮肤的接触(袋鼠护理)会加速人类婴儿的自主神经和神经行为成熟，而人类早期的身体和情感忽视会增加疾病的风险，并损害生长和发育。无论是在托儿所抚摸和抱着婴儿，还是在实验室或动物护理设施中对幼小动物进行母体刺激，早期同种接触的重要性对成年后代的健康和福祉都是至关重要的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of the proposed research is to clarify the relationship between the effects maternal care has on development of reproductive neurobiology and behavior in laboratory rats. This goal will be achieved by concurrent evaluation of the changes in behavior and morphology that result from variation in maternal care. The specific aims of the proposal are: 1. Determine the effects of enhanced maternal stimulation on the development of the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB), the major pelvic ganglion (MPG), and male reproductive behavior in the laboratory rat. 2. Determine the mechanism(s) by which maternal stimulation affects the morphology of the SNB and the MPG. 3. Determine the effects of deprivation of maternal stimulation on the development of the SNB and the MPG, and male reproductive behavior. These objectives will be archived by using two general models to examine the impact of variation in maternal care on the reproductive well being of males. One model takes advantage of the finding that some mother rats engage in high levels of licking and grooming of their neonatal offspring. This enhanced care facilitates the development of greater reproductive efficacy in the male offspring. The second model is one of maternal neglect and provides the opportunity to study the mechanisms by which severe reductions in maternal care lead to deficits in reproductive function in the male. Both models have parallels in the human where enhanced skin-to-skin contact (Kangaroo Care) accelerates autonomic and neurobehavioral maturation in human infants whereas early physical and emotional neglect in the human increase the risk of disease, and compromises growth and development. Whether it is touching and holding infant humans in a nursery or the maternal stimulation of young animals in a laboratory or animal care facility, the importance of early conspecific contact is of fundamental importance to the health and well-being of the offspring as adults.