NEURAL CONTROL OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

这项研究计划的长期目标是确定大脑如何 调节生殖行为。实验室大鼠将被用作 这项工作的模型系统，因为已经在 这个物种使它成为一种有价值的工具。生殖行为是受监管的 通过性腺激素作用于特定的大脑部位来实现 使其繁殖潜力最大化所需的行为。 本方案中的实验主要集中在生物化学和 必须在这些特定的大脑部位发生的内分泌事件 将荷尔蒙信息转化为整合神经的程序 活动。许多拟议的工作都涉及到 雌激素对调节乙酰胆碱作用过程的影响 下丘脑和中脑。看起来雌激素有能力 改变广泛脑区的胆碱能活动，其中许多 长期以来一直与情绪化和生殖有关 行为。更好地了解这些基本神经内分泌和 生化大脑过程将提供对与以下方面相关的许多领域的洞察 健康，包括生殖、情绪性和行为波动 这与性腺激素的变化有关。

The long term goal of this research program is to determine how the brain regulates reproductive behavior. The laboratory rat will be used as the model system for this work because the extensive work that has been done on this species makes it a valuable tool. Reproductive behavior is regulated by gonadal hormones which act within specific brain sites to bring about the behaviors that are required to maximize its reproductive potential. The experiments in this proposal focus on the biochemical and endocrinological events that must occur in these specific brain sites to translate the hormonal message into the program of integrated neural activity. Much of the proposed work is concerned with the effects of estrogen upon processes that regulate acetycholine action in the hypothalamus and midbrain. It would appear that estrogen is capable of modifying cholinergic activity in extensive brain regions, many of which have long been associated with emotionality as well as reproductive behavior. A better understanding of these basic neuroendocrine and biochemical brain processes will provide insight into many areas related to health including reproduction, emotionality and behavioral fluctuations that are associated with variations in gonadal hormones.