MATERNAL HORMONE EXPOSURE IN THE DEVELOPING AVIAN BRAIN

描述（申请人摘要）：由于早期激素暴露，无论 内源性或外源性的，可能会对一个人的行为产生长期的影响， 生物体，如成熟，繁殖和认知，重要的是 理解这些变化。脊椎动物卵中母体激素的存在 表明母亲和后代之间的荷尔蒙联系 母亲对后代适应性的不同影响。现时的建议 旨在专门研究母体雄激素在 组织发育中的大脑和行为的影响，使用 家雀，麻雀，作为我们的工作模型。我们的假设是 在禽蛋影响中以不同数量沉积的母体激素 大脑在发育过程中的分化导致行为的差异 在兄弟姐妹和一窝鸟之间。使用放射免疫测定法测量雄激素 水平和免疫细胞化学原位杂交检测雄激素 受体，这项研究将探讨行为差异的个体发生 与个人健康有关。这项研究的独特之处在于，它将研究 多层次的个体差异。除了神经元的差异，我 还将检查激素水平，生理（重量，羽毛）， 行为（侵略，求爱，生殖和认知），以确定是否 不同数量的母体激素提供了选择性优势， 个体

DESCRIPTION (applicant's abstract): Because early hormonal exposure, whether endogenous or exogenous, may have long-lasting effects on the behavior of an organism, such as maturation, reproduction, and cognition, it is important to understand these changes. The presence of maternal hormones in vertebrate eggs suggest a hormonal link between the mother and the offspring which may allow the mother to differentially influence offspring fitness. The present proposal is designed to specifically investigate the role of maternal androgens in the organization of the developing brain and the effects on behavior using the house sparrow, Passer domesticus, as our working model. Our hypothesis is that maternal hormones deposited in variable amounts in the avian egg influence brain differentiation during development leading to differences in behavior among siblings and broods of birds. Using radioimmunoassays to measure androgen levels, and immunocytochemistry in in situ hybridization to detect androgen receptors, this study will examine the ontogeny of behavioral differences relating to individual fitness. This study is unique in that it will examine individual variation at multiple levels. In addition to neuronal differences, I will also be examining hormone levels, physiology (weight, plumage) and behavior (aggression, courtship, reproduction & cognition) to determine if variable amounts of maternal hormones provide a selective advantage to specific individuals.