NEUROANATOMY OF PEPTIDES REGULATING MALE MATING BEHAVIOR

性腺类固醇激素在男性性激素调节中起着关键作用 交配行为。有证据表明，类固醇调节交配 作用于边缘系统三个靶区的行为，内侧 杏仁核(M)，终纹的床核 (BNST)和内侧视前区(MPOA)。这些区域的神经元 积累性腺类固醇，并在调节 交配行为。然而，类固醇影响心脏功能的机制 参与交配调节的神经元的功能不是 完全理解。我的实验室和其他实验室最近的研究表明 这些区域的神经元和终末含有各种神经活性物质。 这些多肽的水平是由性腺调节的 类固醇。由于这些神经肽可能在神经细胞中发挥作用 传递，这些神经元中存在的神经肽水平可能 影响它们调解交配行为的能力。因此，一种方式是 哪种类固醇可能会影响交配行为是通过调节 这些神经肽。这项建议中研究的目标是 确定类固醇是否通过以下方式调节雄性仓鼠的交配行为 调节中枢神经递质的产生 杏仁核、终纹床核和 内侧视前区。目前，关于这一问题的信息很少 M、MPOA或BNST神经元中含有的特定类型神经肽 参与交配行为的调节。此外，为了 阐明参与的肽能神经元的功能组织 交配行为，重要的是要确定特定的 神经肽存在于单独的神经元中，或者它们是否共存 在单个神经元中。轨迹追踪。最后，为了帮助澄清 类固醇调节多肽水平的细胞机制，是 重要的是要确定睾丸素本身，还是它的一种 雄激素或雌激素代谢物，调节神经元肽水平 在M、MPOA和BNST中。为了解决这些问题，我建议开展 几项解剖学和行为学研究。首先，我将使用单点和 双标记免疫组织化学技术鉴定神经肽 存在于M、MPOA和BNST内的神经元中。第二，我会结合 逆行途径追踪和免疫组织化学技术 确定M、MPOA投射神经元中含有哪些多肽 和BNST(即，神经回路中参与交配的神经元 行为)。第三，对于上述研究所涉及的神经肽 在交配区域之间的神经传递中起作用 行为，我会把这些多肽注射到M，MPOA和/或BNST中 确定它们对交配行为的影响。最后，我会决定 使用睾酮或其代谢物治疗的效果(in 去势动物)对M区、MPOA区和BNST区神经元肽水平的影响。 这些研究将阐明神经肽在调节 交配行为，并将阐明类固醇 对参与交配调控的神经元功能的影响 行为。

Gonadal steroids play a critical role in the regulation of male copulatory behavior. Evidence suggests that steroids regulate mating behavior by acting on three target areas in the limbic system, the medial nucleus of the amygdala (M), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and the medial preoptic area (MPOA). Neurons in these areas accumulate gonadal steroids and play a critical role in the regulation of mating behavior. However, the mechanisms by which steroids influence the function of neurons involved in the regulation of copulation are not fully understood. Recent studies in my lab and others have shown that neurons and terminals in these areas contain a variety of neuroactive peptides, and that the levels of these peptides are regulated by gonadal steroids. Since these neuropeptides may play a role in neural transmission, the levels of neuropeptides present in these neurons may influence their ability to mediate mating behavior. Thus, one way by which steroids may influence mating behavior is by regulating the levels of these neuropeptides. The goal of the studies in this proposal is to determine whether steroids regulate male .hamster mating behavior by regulating the production of peptide neurotransmitters within the medial nucleus of the amygdala, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the medial preoptic area. Currently, there is little information on the specific types of neuropeptides contained in neurons in M, MPOA, or BNST that are involved in the regulation of mating behavior. Moreover, to clarify the functional organization of peptidergic neurons involved in mating behavior, it is important to determine whether specific neuropeptides are present in separate neurons, or whether they co-occur in individual neurons. tract tracing. Finally, to help clarify the cellular mechanisms by which steroids regulate peptide levels, it is important to determine whether testosterone itself, or one of its androgenic or estrogenic metabolites, regulates peptide levels in neurons in M, MPOA and BNST. To address these issues, I propose to carry out several anatomical and behavioral studies. First, I will use single-and double-label immunohistochemical techniques to identify the neuropeptides contained in neurons within M, MPOA and BNST. Second, I will combine retrograde pathway tracing and immunohistochemical techniques to determine which peptides are contained in projection neurons of M, MPOA and BNST (i.e., neurons in the neural circuits mediating mating behavior). Third, for neuropeptides implicated by the above studies to play a role in neurotransmission between areas involved in mating behavior, I will inject these peptides into M, MPOA and/or BNST and determine their effects on mating behavior. Finally, I will determine the effects of treatment with testosterone or its metabolites (in castrated animals) on peptide levels in neurons in M, MPOA and BNST. These studies will clarify the role of neuropeptides in the regulation of mating behavior, and will clarify the mechanisms by which steroids influence the function of neurons involved in the regulation of mating behavior.