ABR: Socially Monogamous Pairing: Mechanisms and Memory

排他性的雌雄配对(社会一夫一妻制的交配系统)只在少数几种哺乳动物和一些人类中可以看到，但在鸟类中是一种非常常见的生殖安排。然而，人们对鸟类配对的内部机制(神经激素、大脑系统)几乎一无所知。该项目使用一种常见的实验室物种斑马雀，它形成了持久的伴侣关系，该项目旨在发现这些机制，因为它们在三个不同的生命阶段运行，以促进社会一夫一妻制的配对：(1)在雏鸟的早期，开始与家庭成员形成强烈的亲密关系，(2)在幼年时期，当鸟类第一次对异性比对父母更感兴趣时，以及(3)成年后失去伴侣(通过死亡)，可能会与新的伴侣发生新的伴侣关系。该项目旨在确定促进这些配对结合行为的生理机制。实验旨在专门测试神经肽(如催产素)和肾上腺“应激”荷尔蒙皮质酮在促进配对结合方面的潜在参与。该项目还将调查皮质酮在鸟类记忆和偏爱第一个伴侣的能力中所起的作用，即使在长时间分离之后也是如此。总体而言，该项目将解开一个长期存在的谜团：是什么让斑马雀这样的鸟类形成强大的配对纽带？它将提出可能适用于数以千计的其他群居一夫一妻制鸟类以及更广泛地适用于其他脊椎动物的机制。它将提供有关鸟类作用机制的新信息，这些机制可以与社会性一夫一妻制哺乳动物的机制进行比较，从而有可能增加对大脑和激素如何在包括人类在内的所有动物中产生密切关系的理解。该项目将为各级学生提供培训，并将包括招募和培训妇女和任职人数不足的少数群体从事科学研究事业的具体活动。这项工作将通过普通受众出版物、网站以及面向中学女生和当地K-12生物教师的外展计划向公众传播。

Exclusive male-female pairbonds (socially monogamous mating systems) are seen in only a few kinds of mammals and in some humans, but are a very common reproductive arrangement in birds. Yet almost nothing is known about the internal mechanisms (neurohormones, brain systems) for pairing in birds. Using a common laboratory species, the zebra finch, that forms long-lasting pair relationships, the project aims to discover these mechanisms as they operate at three different life stages to promote socially monogamous pairing: (1) early in life in nestlings when the strong tendency to form close affiliations with family members begins, (2) during juvenile life when the birds first become more interested in the opposite sex than in the parents, and (3) following adult loss of the mate (through death) when a new pair relationship with a new partner can occur. The project is aimed at determining the physiological mechanisms that promote these pair bonding behaviors. Experiments are designed to specifically test the potential involvement of neuropeptides, such as oxytocin, and the adrenal "stress" hormone, corticosterone, in facilitating pair bonding. The project will also investigate the role of corticosterone in the ability of the birds to remember and prefer their first partner even after a long period of separation. Overall, the project will solve a long-standing mystery "what makes birds like zebra finches form strong pair bonds?" It will suggest mechanisms that might apply to the thousands of other socially monogamous birds and more generally to other vertebrates. It will provide new information on mechanisms acting in birds that can be compared with mechanisms operating in socially monogamous mammals, and thus, has the potential to increase understanding of how brains and hormones produce close relationships in all animals, including humans. The project will provide training of students at all levels and will include specific activities to recruit and train women and underrepresented minorities for scientific research careers. The work will be disseminated to the public through general audience publications, a web site, and through outreach programs to middle school girls and local K-12 biology teachers.