Neuroanatomy and Neurochemistry of Sexual Behavior

性行为的神经解剖学和神经化学

• 批准号: 138878-2012
• 负责人: Pfaus, James
• 金额: $ 4.74万
• 依托单位: Concordia University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=593429
• 关键词: Neuroanatomy; Neurochemistry; Sexual; Behavior

The objective of this research is to identify the brain systems that excite or inhibit sexual behavior. Our previous grant began to identify excitatory neurochemical systems in the hypothalamus (medial preoptic area, mPOA and ventromedial hypothalamus, VMH) and limbic system (Nucleus accumbens, NAc and ventral tegmental area, VTA) that activate measures of sexual desire in female rats. Those systems include dopamine (DA) and melanocortins (MCs). We also found that clitoral stimulation in females activates a sexual desire state, which may involve the activation of those neurochemical systems. The proposed research will extend this work to investigate the exact role played by DA, MCs, and opioids in controlling appetitive sexual behaviors. We will also examine the role of cortical structures, e.g., medial prefrontal cortex, in sexual inhibition in both female and male rats. This research will combine pharmacology and molecular techniques to examine how these pathways interact, and whether inhibition actively diminishes the ability for excitation to occur. Finally, we will examine how steroid hormones like estradiol set the stage for sexual excitation (and possibly inhibition as well) by activating components of those neurochemical systems. These studies are designed to take our research program to the next level by examining the activation of specific neurochemical systems associated with sexual excitation under different hormonal and experiential conditions, and to begin to examine mechanisms of sexual inhibition and how those mechanisms dampen the activation of excitatory systems.

这项研究的目的是确定刺激或抑制性行为的大脑系统。我们之前的资助开始识别下丘脑（内侧视前区，mPOA和腹内侧下丘脑，VMH）和边缘系统（伏隔核，NAc和腹侧被区，VTA）的兴奋性神经化学系统，这些系统激活了雌性大鼠的性欲措施。这些系统包括多巴胺（DA）和黑素皮质素（MCs）。我们还发现，女性的阴蒂刺激会激活性欲状态，这可能涉及到那些神经化学系统的激活。本研究将进一步探讨DA、MCs和阿片类药物在控制性欲行为中的确切作用。我们还将研究皮质结构的作用，例如，内侧前额叶皮质，在雌性和雄性大鼠的性抑制中。这项研究将结合药理学和分子技术来检查这些途径是如何相互作用的，以及抑制是否会主动减少兴奋发生的能力。最后，我们将研究像雌二醇这样的类固醇激素是如何通过激活这些神经化学系统的成分来为性兴奋（也可能是抑制性兴奋）搭建舞台的。这些研究旨在通过检查在不同激素和经验条件下与性兴奋相关的特定神经化学系统的激活，将我们的研究项目提升到一个新的水平，并开始研究性抑制的机制以及这些机制如何抑制兴奋系统的激活。