Interactions between anxiety and aggression: role of relevant brain neuropeptides

尽管我们的社会对了解异常攻击行为的兴趣普遍增长，但对调节攻击行为的大脑回路知之甚少，全世界只有少数几个团体关注这一主题。我们建议研究焦虑和攻击性之间的联系及其潜在的神经生物学机制，特别是相关的脑神经肽的参与。为此，我们将使用遗传选择高（HAB）和低（LAB）焦虑水平的两个品系的大鼠以及非选择大鼠（NAB）。这些线条显示出与焦虑、压力应对方式有关的行为、神经内分泌和遗传参数的明显差异，以及攻击行为的深刻差异。在这个项目中，焦虑，攻击和冲动的线差异将与神经元活动，和神经肽血管加压素，催产素，催乳素和促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子的表达和/或释放。互补的方法将被用来操纵一个给定的神经肽系统的活动，以提供有关参与调节侵略的信息。

Despite the generally growing interest of our society to understand abnormal aggressive behaviour, there is little knowledge about brain circuitries regulating aggression, and only a few groups worldwide focus on this topic. We propose to investigate the link between anxiety and aggression and their underlying neurobiological mechanisms, in particular the involvement of relevant brain neuropeptides. To this end, we will use two lines of rats genetically selected for high (HAB) and low (LAB) anxiety levels as well as non-selected rats (NAB). These lines show clear differences in behavioural, neuroendocrine and genetic parameters related to anxiety, stress coping style and a profound difference in aggressive behaviour. In this project, line differences in anxiety, aggression and impulsivity will be correlated with neuronal activity, and the expression and/or release of the neuropeptides vasopressin, oxytocin, prolactin and corticotropin-releasing factor. Complementary methodological approaches will be used to manipulate the activity of a given neuropeptide system in order to provide information on the involvement in regulating aggression.