RUI: Hormones Neurotransmitters and Behavior

9309451 Renner 5-羟色胺（5-HT）是一种中枢神经递质。 这种神经递质参与控制各种各样的生理和行为功能，包括攻击性、睡眠、肾脏调节、疼痛感知、激素分泌、体温调节、运动活动、食物摄入、心血管功能和生殖。 例如，5-羟色胺可能通过与性腺类固醇的相互作用而影响女性的发情行为。 事实上，Renner博士已经证明，雌激素和孕激素的顺序给药可以减少几个已知对生殖行为表达重要的大脑区域的5-羟色胺周转。 他现在将通过确定卵巢对肾上腺素能功能的影响的生理相关性来扩展这些发现。 Renner博士将使用一种新技术，即体内微透析，来查明可能有助于调节生殖行为的血清素神经传递的变化。 利用这项技术，他将研究雌激素和孕激素之间的关系，5-羟色胺的释放，以及在几个不同的大脑区域在自由移动的动物生殖行为。 这项工作将有助于确定控制生殖行为的神经网络内的网站之间的功能联系。 Renner博士还将监测各种药物的神经化学和行为影响。 在用不同的卵巢激素方案致敏的动物中进行干预。 这些结果可能有助于解开一些神经化学事件整合的秘密，性腺类固醇激素通过这些神经化学事件诱导行为反应。 ***

9309451 Renner Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) is a central neurotransmitter. This neurotransmitter has been implicated in the control of an extremely diverse group of physiological and behavior functions including aggression, sleep, renal regulation, pain perception, hormone secretion, thermoregulation, motor activity, food intake, cardiovascular function and reproduction. For example, serotonin is shown to influence female estrous behavior possibly through its interaction with the gonadal steroids. Indeed, Dr. Renner has demonstrated that sequential administration of estrogen and progesterone reduce serotonin turnover in several brain regions known to be important for the expression of reproductive behavior. He will now extend these findings by determining the physiological relevance of ovarian effects on serotonergic functioning. Dr. Renner will use a novel technique, in vivo microdialysis, to pinpoint the alterations in serotonin neurotransmission that may contribute to the regulation of reproductive behavior. Using this technique, he will examine the relationship between estrogen and progesterone, serotonin release, and reproductive behavior in several different brain regions in freely moving animals. This work will help define the functional linkage between sites within the neural network controlling reproductive behavior. Dr. Renner will also monitor the neurochemical and behavioral effects of various pharmacological interventions in animals primed with different regimes of ovarian hormones. These results are likely to help unlock some of the secrets underlying the integration of the neurochemical events by which gonadal steroid hormones induce a behavioral response. ***