Neural Hormonal Regulation of Sound Pattern Recognition and Sexual Behavior

LAY ABSTRACT IBN-9808834 几 动物模型系统已经成功地 帮助我们理解神经系统如何控制行为。 雌蟋蟀对 代表潜在配偶的行为上重要的声音是这些模型之一，并且它提供了几个优点。 最重要的是， 神经系统是相当容易接近， 单一的、确定的听觉神经细胞在调节雌性对雄性叫声的相当复杂的定向反应中发挥着明显的重要作用。单个神经细胞可以在行为测试之前被光灭活（使用激光和荧光染料杀死单个细胞），以确定该细胞在行为中的作用。研究这个系统的目标一直是，并将继续确定参与听觉系统的细胞如何在电路中共同工作，以使雌性蟋蟀能够识别其物种的雄性蟋蟀的叫声并定位该叫声的来源。由于大多数动物和人类的交流系统也涉及到识别和定位的通信信号，什么是通过检查这个模型系统的学习将进一步了解动物的通信是如何完成和控制的神经系统一般。除了这些目标，重点是提高我们的 对通信系统的理解， 几 计划取得其他成绩。 博士后机会将涉及 培训 和神经生物学方面的经验 包括学习/使用这些光灭活/行为技术来评估神经细胞活性和行为之间的因果关系。 该补助金的研究人员和这些博士后候选人将提供具体的培训，并涉及一些研究生（在MS水平）和本科生在这项研究。 安德鲁斯大学的研究培训计划，在那里这项工作将完成，已经并将继续吸引少数民族和妇女进入实验室课程，导致 对机会 本科研究，包括 在神经生物学的研究机会概述了这一建议。 许多参加这样一个项目的学生将能够继续在迅速发展的神经科学领域进行更高级的培训。

LAY ABSTRACT IBN-9808834 Several animal model systems have been successful in illuminating our understanding of how the nervous system controls behavior. The response of female crickets to behaviorally significant sounds representing potential mates is one of these models and it offers several advantages. Most important the cricket's nervous system is rather accessible and single, identified auditory nerve cells play demonstrably important roles in the regulation of the rather complex orientation response of females to the calls of males. The single nerve cells can be photoinactivated (killing an individual cell using a laser and a fluorescent dye) prior to behavioral testing, to determine that cell's role in behavior. The goal of studying this system has been, and will continue to be to determine how the cells involved in the auditory system work together in a circuit to allow the female cricket to recognize the calling song of the male of its species and to locate the source of that call. Since most animals and human communication systems also involve recognition and localization of the communicative signal, what is learned by examining this model system will further our understanding how animal communication is accomplished and controlled by nervous systems in general. Besides these goals, which focus on increasing our understanding of communication systems, several other accomplishments are planned. Post-doctoral opportunities will involve training and experience in neurobiology including learning/using these photoinactivation/behavioral techniques to evaluate causal relationships between nerve cell activity and behavior. The investigators of the grant and these post-doctoral candidates will provide specific training and involve several graduate students (at the MS level) and undergraduates in this research. The research trai ning program at Andrews University, where this work will be done, has and will continue to attract minorities and women into laboratory courses that lead to opportunities for undergraduate research including research opportunities in neurobiology outlined in this proposal. Many of the students that participate in such a project would be able to continue on for more advanced training in the rapidly growing fields of neuroscience.