Sex Differences in the Neural Control of Social Behavior; Supplement

项目概要 该项目旨在通过以下方式了解性别差异在社会行为神经控制中的作用： 重点关注男性与女性大脑中较高水平的加压素表达。这是最 一致地发现脊椎动物之间存在性别差异，并且最好的理解是在功能方面 成年动物。这笔赠款将研究加压素神经支配的性别差异是否有助于 社会行为的表现和控制存在性别差异。我们将利用新的强大 遗传方法使我们能够专门针对加压素细胞。第一个目的是测试是否 同时去除终纹床核中的两性加压素细胞 内侧杏仁核对男性和女性社会行为的影响不同。第二个目标 目的是测试这些细胞的抑制或兴奋是否会以不同的方式改变男性和女性的社会行为 女性。第三个目标是识别这些细胞的输入和输出，以开始了解神经元 加压素通过该电路对男性和女性的社会行为产生不同的影响。理解 男性和女性的大脑如何以不同的方式控制社会行为以及许多行为障碍 发病率表现出显着的性别差异。大脑的性别分化可能有助于这些 差异。尽管最近在理解神经基础方面取得了重大进展 成年后的社会行为，男性和女性对这种行为的控制方式有何不同？ 大，未知。这笔赠款将解决这些问题。

PROJECT SUMMARY This project aims to understand the function of sex differences in neural control of social behavior by focusing on the higher level of vasopressin expression in male versus female brains. This is the most consistently found sex difference among vertebrates, and the best understood in terms of function in adult animals. This grant will study whether the sex difference in vasopressin innervation contributes to sex differences in the display and control of social behavior. We will take advantage of new powerful genetic approaches that allows us to target vasopressin cells specifically. The first aim is to test whether concurrent removal of the sexually dimorphic vasopressin cells in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial amygdaloid nucleus affects social behavior differently in males and females. The second aim is to test whether inhibition or excitation of these cells alters social behavior differently in males and females. The third aim is to identify the in- and outputs of these cells, to begin to understand the neural circuitry via which vasopressin affects social behavior differently in males and females. Understanding how the brain controls social behavior differently in males and females as many behavioral disorders show striking sex differences in morbidity. Sexual differentiation of the brain likely contributes to these differences. Although recently major advances have been made in understanding the neural basis of social behavior in adulthood, how such behavior is controlled differently in males and females is, by and large, unknown. This grant will address these issues.