THE ROLE OF CORTICOTROPIN-RELEASING FACTOR IN PRIMATE MATERNAL BEHAVIOR

该子项目是利用 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是 中心，不一定是研究者的机构。 目的：探讨促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子在灵长类动物应激性母性行为障碍中的作用。 压力可以抑制人类和其他哺乳动物的母性行为;然而，这种影响知之甚少，神经和神经内分泌机制尚不清楚。 为了开始阐明压力可以改变灵长类动物母性行为的机制，我们正在进行一系列实验，研究绒猴母性行为和压力之间的相互作用。初步结果表明，哺乳期女性可能会显示出改变神经内分泌反应的压力相比，非繁殖女性，包括有点抑制垂体分泌促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH），但升高肾上腺皮质释放皮质醇，导致显着改变皮质醇：ACTH的比例。其次，我们发现，无论是在基线条件下还是在压力条件下，外源性皮质醇的急性或慢性治疗都不会显著影响有经验的母亲的母亲行为。 相反，一项正在进行的实验的初步结果表明，直接将神经肽促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子（CRF）注入大脑可抑制哺乳期女性的母体反应。 这些结果，虽然是初步的，表明压力可能会破坏母亲的行为，主要是通过CRF的直接神经效应，而不是通过激活下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺内分泌轴。 本研究使用动物服务和分析服务。出版物待定。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Objective: To characterize the effect of corticotropin-releasing factor in stress-related disruption of primate maternal behavior. Stress can inhibit maternal behavior in humans and other mammals; however, this effect is poorly understood, and the neural and neuroendocrine mechanisms are unknown. To begin to elucidate the mechanisms by which stress can alter maternal behavior in primates, we are conducting a series of experiments investigating the interactions between maternal behavior and stress in marmoset monkeys. Initial results indicate that lactating females may show altered neuroendocrine responses to stress as compared to non-breeding females, including somewhat dampened pituitary secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) but elevated adrenocortical release of cortisol, resulting in a significantly altered cortisol:ACTH ratio. Second, we have found that neither acute nor chronic treatment with exogenous cortisol markedly affects maternal behavior in experienced mothers, under either baseline or stressful conditions. In contrast, initial findings from an ongoing experiment suggest that direct administration of the neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) into the brain inhibits maternal responsiveness in lactating females. These results, although preliminary, suggest that stress may disrupt maternal behavior primarily through direct neural effects of CRF rather than through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal endocrine axis. This research used Animal Services and Assay Services. Publications are pending.