NEUROPEPTIDERGIC CONTROL OF MATERNAL BEHAVIOR

描述（由申请人提供）：提出了三个具体目标来解决精氨酸抗利尿素（AVP）在母体行为保留、母体攻击表达中起重要作用的总体假设，以及中枢AVP水平与母体行为和攻击表达之间存在潜在联系。此外，还将探讨AVP对母亲行为的影响与其在社会认知中的既定作用之间的潜在联系。在具体目标1中，我们假设AVP可能在母性行为的保留中发挥作用。与支持AVP在其他啮齿类动物的社会认知和亲代行为中的作用的大量研究相反，关注AVP与大鼠母性行为或攻击性的研究却很少。特异性目的2将试图确定AVP是否调节母性攻击。研究表明，AVP刺激非哺乳期啮齿动物的攻击行为，但其在母性攻击中的作用尚不确定。特异性目的3将利用RIA和RNase保护，通过检测哺乳期大鼠行为相关核中的AVP和AVP mRNA水平，研究哺乳期啮齿动物AVP的解剖结构，并探讨AVP与攻击之间的潜在相关性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Three specific aims are proposed to address the overall hypothesis that arginine vasopressin (AVP) has significant roles in the retention of maternal behavior, the expression maternal aggression, and that there are potential connections between central AVP levels and the expression of maternal behavior and aggression. In addition, the potential connection between AVP's effects on maternal behavior and its established role in social recognition will be explored. In Specific Aim 1, we postulate that AVP may play a role in the retention of maternal behavior. In contrast to the wealth of research supporting AVP's role in social recognition and parental behavior in other rodent species, there is a paucity of research focusing on AVP and maternal behavior or aggression in the rat. Specific Aim 2 will attempt to determine if AVP modulates maternal aggression. It has been shown that AVP stimulates aggression in non-lactating rodents, but its role in maternal aggression is uncertain. Specific Aim 3 will investigate AVP anatomy in lactating rodents by examining AVP and AVP mRNA levels in behaviorally relevant nuclei in lactating rats using RIA and RNase protection, and potential correlations between AVP and aggression will be explored.