Central Vasopressin and Maternal Behavior

说明(申请人提供)：NICHD的使命是确保每个人在出生时都是健康的和被通缉的，妇女不受生殖过程的有害影响，所有儿童都有机会充分发挥其健康和多产的生活的潜力，不受疾病或残疾的影响，并通过最佳康复确保所有人的健康、生产力、独立性和福祉。产后焦虑和抑郁相关的疾病可以通过影响母亲的行为对母亲和子女的健康产生负面影响，而这些疾病的病因知之甚少。尽管慢性压力是抑郁症的一个重要风险因素，但哺乳期的慢性压力如何影响母亲的行为尚不清楚。最近的分子研究表明，神经激素精氨酸加压素(AVP)、催产素(OXT)和皮质类固醇释放激素(CRH)可能参与了哺乳期大鼠母体行为的调节。我们认为，中枢AVP系统可能是治疗产后行为障碍的潜在靶点，因为AVP的中枢操作改变了行为。当前方案的总体目标是调查AVP在产后母亲行为和攻击性中的作用，以及社会压力对这一系统的影响。本研究的具体目的是确定中枢AVP、OXT和CRH在控制母体行为和母体攻击中的作用，调查慢性社会应激源对这些行为和中枢AVP的影响，并探讨AVP介导的慢性社会应激对母体行为影响的潜在机制。为了实现这些目标，将使用行为、内分泌和分子方法来量化慢性社会应激源的影响，使用分子和成像(FMRI)技术来识别与母亲行为的急性和慢性控制有关的神经区域，以及使用立体定向手术技术来操纵中枢AVP活动。总体目标是在行为神经科学技术方面获得有价值的培训，并研究神经肽对行为的控制。长期的职业目标是为母亲的行为障碍开发新的靶点和治疗方法。 与公共卫生相关(见说明)：尽管母亲的行为显然会影响其子女的行为和健康，但很少有研究针对产后行为障碍的原因进行研究。这项应用将通过调查控制母亲行为的潜在机制和产后行为障碍的原因，帮助确保母亲及其子女的健康。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The mission of the NICHD is to ensure that every person is bom healthy and wanted, that women suffer no harmful effects from reproductive processes, and that all children have the chance to achieve their full potential for healthy and productive lives, free from disease or disability, and to ensure the health, productivity, independence, and well-being of all people through optimal rehabilitation. Postpartum anxiety and depression- associated disorders can have negative effects on the health of both mother and offspring through effects on maternal behavior, and little is known about the etiology of these disorders. Although chronic stress is a significant risk factor for depression, it is unknown how chronic stress during lactation affects maternal behavior. Recent molecular studies indicate that the neurohormones arginine vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OXT), and corticosteroid releasing hormone (CRH) may be involved in the modulation of maternal behavior in lactating rats. It is h3T) 0thesized that the central AVP system may be a potential target for the treatment of postpartum behavioral disorders, as central manipulations of AVP alter behavior. The overall objective of the current protocol is to investigate the role of AVP in postpartum maternal behavior and aggression, and the effects of social stress on this system. The specific aims of the current proposal are to characterize the roles of central AVP, OXT, and CRH in the control of maternal behavior and maternal aggression, investigate the effects of chronic social stressors on these behaviors and central AVP, and investigate a potential AVP-mediated mechanism for the effects of chronic social stress on maternal behavior. These aims will be pursued using behavioral, endocrine, and molecular methods to quantify the effects of chronic social stressors, molecular and imaging (fMRI) techniques to identify the neural regions implicated in the acute and chronic control of maternal behavior, and stereotaxic surgical techniques to manipulate central AVP activity. The overall goal is to gain valuable training in behavioral neuroscience techniques and study the neuropeptidergic control of behavior. The long term career goal is to develop new targets and treatments for behavioral disorders of mothers. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (See instructions): Although it is clear that the behavior of the mother affects the behavior and health of her children, very few studies have been directed at determining the causes of postpartum behavioral disorders. This application will help to ensure the health of mothers and their children by investigating potential mechanisms for the control of maternal behavior and causes for postpartum behavioral disorders.