Hormones and Sex Differences in the Musk Shrew

麝香鼩的激素和性别差异

• 批准号: 6594797
• 负责人: LOUISE Margaret FREEMAN
• 金额: $ 12.7万
• 依托单位: MARY BALDWIN COLLEGE
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-09-15 至 2006-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6594797
• 关键词: Scandentia; amygdala; behavior test; behavioral /social science research tag; estrogens; ethology; gender difference; hippocampus; immunocytochemistry; learning; model design /development; neuroendocrine system; psychological models; reproduction; sex behavior; sex hormones; space perception; testosterone

Steroid hormones cause sex differences in both brain structure and behavior in a variety of species, including humans. Most basic research in the development and display of these differences has been conducted in rodent models such as rats and mice, although there is evidence that the neuroendocrine processes controlling these behaviors in other orders of mammals, particularly primates, differ from those in rodents. Basic research in primates, however, is expensive, time-consuming and often otherwise impractical. The goal of this proposal is to develop an alternative small-animal model to for the study of the sexual differentiation of brain and behavior. The Asian musk shrew Suncus murinus is proposed as the model species because certain features of the regulation of its sexual behavior appear to have more in common with primates than rodents. The proposed studies will examine two behaviors that are different in males and females: copulatory behaviors and spatial learning. Brain structures that are involved in the regulation of these behaviors will also be measured to determine if their development is influenced by sex steroid hormones.

类固醇激素会导致包括人类在内的多种物种的大脑结构和行为出现性别差异。大多数关于这些差异的发展和表现的基础研究都是在大鼠和小鼠等啮齿动物模型中进行的，尽管有证据表明其他哺乳动物（特别是灵长类动物）控制这些行为的神经内分泌过程与啮齿动物不同。然而，灵长类动物的基础研究既昂贵又耗时，而且往往不切实际。此举的目标 建议开发一种替代的小动物模型来研究大脑和行为的性别分化。亚洲麝鼩被提议作为模式物种，因为其性行为调节的某些特征似乎与灵长类动物比啮齿类动物有更多共同点。拟议的研究将检查男性和女性的两种不同行为：交配行为和空间学习。参与调节这些行为的大脑结构也将被测量，以确定它们的发育是否受到性类固醇激素的影响。