NEUROENDOCRINE RESPONSES TO MATING IN THE FEMALE

描述（改编自申请人的摘要）：在许多雌性哺乳动物中， 在交配过程中接受的阴道子宫刺激（vaginocerebral stimulation，VCA） 反应性，并启动或诱导几种神经内分泌变化， 影响繁殖成功。 在啮齿类动物中， 早孕或假性孕（PSP）的内分泌变化， 特别是每天两次的催乳素（PRL）分泌激增， 黄体功能 收到的电子邮件的特殊性 是决定PSP是否会 有一个独特的对应模式之间的干扰， 女性需要启动怀孕和模式的 雌性在交配时接受的交配刺激。 因此，我们认为， 这个模型系统提供了一个机会，在细胞水平上研究如何 行为的表达可以在长时间内影响神经功能， 期 尽管我们对内分泌机制的理解有所进步， 负责PSP的我们的知识仍然不完整，特别是在 PRL激增初始阶段的区域。 PI最近的工作 实验室已经表明，一个有效的方法来解决这个问题， 交配刺激引发的PRL激增是使用自然发生的 性交刺激模式，以评估神经功能的变化， 是PSP特有的 在该补助金有效期内进行的研究 将探讨近端神经和内分泌的变化， 研究人员在大脑的几个区域对癫痫的反应， 被鉴定为参与了将p53转导到 早期妊娠/PSP的PRL激增。 实验将：1）确定哪些 特定的PRL反应交配负责PSP; 2）探索 内侧杏仁核在传递传入性生殖感觉输入中的作用 探讨PSP的神经内分泌变化; 3）检查PSP是否上升 去甲肾上腺素能纤维参与了中膜内的起始变化， PSP所需的杏仁核;以及4）检查催产素神经元在PSP中的作用 室旁核在催乳素的诱导中起重要作用。 的 这项独立科学家奖申请的广泛研究目标是 使用神经行为学方法来定义细胞机制， 交配行为引发了早孕的神经内分泌反应。

DESCRIPTION (adapted from applicant's abstract): In many female mammals, vaginocervical stimulation (VCS) received during mating modifies sexual responsiveness and initiates or induces several neuroendocrine changes which influence reproductive success. VCS is required in rodent for initiation of the endocrine changes of early pregnancy or pseudopregnancy (PSP), in particular twice-daily surges of prolactin (PRL) secretion which maintain corpus luteum function. The particular characteristics of the VCS received by the female during mating are critical determinants of whether PSP will occur, and there is a unique correspondence between the pattern of VCS which the female requires for initiation of pregnancy and the patterning of copulatory stimulation received by the female during mating. Therefore, this model system offers an opportunity to examine at the cellular level how the expression of behavior can influence neural function over a prolonged period. Despite advances in our understanding of the endocrine mechanisms responsible for PSP, our knowledge remains incomplete, particularly in the area of the initiation phase of the PRL surges. Recent work from the PI's laboratory has shown that a productive approach to the question of how mating stimulation initiates PRL surges is to use naturally-occurring patterns of coital stimulation to evaluate changes in neural function which are specific to PSP. Research carried out during the tenure of this grant will explore the proximal neural and endocrine changes which occur in response to VCS in several areas of the brain which the investigator's have identified to be involved in the process by which VCS is transduced into the PRL surge of early pregnancy/PSP. Experiments will: 1) determine which specific PRL responses to mating are responsible for PSP; 2) explore the role of the medial amygdala in transducing the afferent genitosensory input into the neuroendocrine changes of PSP; 3) examine whether ascending noradrenergic fibers are involved in initiating changes within the medial amygdala necessary for PSP; and 4) examine the role of oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus in the induction of PRL urges by mating. The broad research goal of this Independent Scientist Award application is to use neuroethological approaches to define the cellular mechanisms by which mating behavior initiates neuroendocrine responses of early pregnancy.