Neuroendocrine Control of Paternal Care in the Common Marmoset

描述（由申请方提供）：选择使用探索性/开发机制，以允许开发方法来检查用于启动双亲雄性动物父亲护理行为的激素途径。普通绒猴Callithrix jacchus是研究雄性父母照顾的激素激活的理想模型，因为它们从出生的第一天起就积极参与婴儿护理。父亲对婴儿的暗示反应强烈，但与人类父亲一样，男性之间也存在差异。与有经验的雄性相比，父母幼稚的雄性对婴儿暗示的反应要少得多，这表明父亲的行为受到经验和激素的影响。具体目标1将测试有父系经验的成年雄性绒猴对婴儿或对照刺激的婴儿反应性，方法是使用雌二醇或睾酮或溶剂进行类固醇治疗。我们将检查催乳素，催产素，加压素和多巴胺与类固醇刺激的变化，在中央和外周样本。具体目标2将通过在类固醇激发前后培养完整和分离的垂体来检查垂体前叶和垂体后叶之间的联系。将垂体激素水平的变化与特定目标1中发现的体内变化进行比较。具体目标3将测试未作父亲的雄性动物对类固醇治疗的婴儿反应性，如具体目标1所述，并测试其垂体反应性，如具体目标2所述。将无经验雄性动物的行为和激素反应与有经验雄性动物进行比较，将垂体对类固醇治疗的反应与有经验雄性动物进行比较。绒猴是为数不多的社会组织/家庭结构与人类相似的哺乳动物物种之一。不良的父母教养会导致一些心理社会障碍，如忽视和虐待，从而扰乱人类健康。了解双亲物种中父亲照顾的机制将为开发创造积极育儿的治疗方法奠定基础。公共卫生相关性：该项目旨在了解男性优质父亲护理的潜在因素。由于父母养育不当或父母不在，有一些心理社会障碍困扰着人类健康。父亲可以为婴儿和儿童发展的积极成果作出重大贡献。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The use of the exploratory/development mechanism was chosen to allow for the development of methods to examine the hormonal pathway for priming paternal care behaviors in biparental males. The common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus, is the ideal model for studying hormonal activation of male parental care due to their active participation in infant care from the first day of birth. Fathers are highly responsive to infant cues, but show between male variability as do human fathers. Parentally naive males are much less responsive to infant cues than experienced males, suggesting there is an experience and hormonal influence on paternal behavior. Specific Aim 1 will test paternally experienced adult male marmosets for their infant responsiveness to an infant or control stimulus by steroid treatment with either estradiol or testosterone or vehicle. We will examine changes in prolactin, oxytocin, vasopressin and dopamine with steroid stimulation in both central and peripheral samples. Specific Aim 2 will examine the communication between the anterior and posterior pituitary through culturing both intact and separated pituitaries before and after steroid challenges. Changes in levels of pituitary hormones will be compared to in vivo changes found in Specific Aim 1. Specific Aim 3 will test paternally naive males for their infant responsiveness by steroid treatment, as in Specific Aim 1 and for their pituitary responses as in Specific Aim 2. Inexperienced male's behavioral and hormonal responses will be compared to experienced males and pituitary responses to steroid treatment will be compared with the experienced males. Marmosets are one of the few mammalian species whose social organization/family structure bears resemblance to that of humans. Poor parenting results in a number of pyschosocial disorders, such as neglect and abuse, which confound human health. Understanding the mechanisms of paternal care in a bi-parental species will lay the foundation for development of treatments to create positive parenting. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project seeks to understand the factors underlying quality paternal care in males. With poor parenting or parental absence, there are a number of psychosocial disorders that confound human health. Fathers can contribute significantly to the positive outcome of infant and child development.