ADOLESCENT STRESS AND NEURAL PLASTICITY

描述（申请人摘要）：本提案审查了相互作用 大脑和压力环境之间的联系 青春期。有充分的证据表明，围产期应激源可以影响大脑 导致长期神经生物学和行为后果的发展。 然而，人们对压力的生物学后果知之甚少， 青春期有报道称，12-15岁的青少年排在第三位 而16-19岁的青少年受害最多 人口中的一组。在动物模型中，围青春期或青春期雄性 仓鼠暴露在来自大仓鼠的威胁和攻击的压力下 在年轻成年人中，与他们的 兄弟姐妹控制。此外，有青春期病史的成年动物 压力改变了大脑的化学物质，特别是精氨酸加压素 (AVP)和5-羟色胺（5-HT）神经支配下丘脑参与了 竞争行为的调节。本文提出了三个问题：（1） 青少年应激对AVP和5-HT系统的影响：（2）青少年应激对行为和 青春期压力引起的神经生物学变化不同于那些 成年后的压力引起的;（3）是神经生物学的变化， 青春期压力的行为永久吗应激引起的AVP变化 而5-HT系统则通过基因转录、受体 结合和神经递质释放;行为和 在青春期或成年期暴露于压力的兄弟姐妹的神经生物学， 与年龄匹配的兄弟姐妹对照组相比， 在几个月内检查行为和神经生物学的恢复情况。 这项工作将有助于了解青春期压力的影响， 大脑从这种潜在的脆弱的侮辱中恢复的能力 发展时期。

DESCRIPTION (applicant's abstract): This proposal examines the interaction between the brain and a stressful environment during the developmental period of adolescence. It is well documented that perinatal stressors can affect brain development resulting in long-term neurobiological and behavioral consequences. However, little is known about the biological consequences of stress in adolescence. There are reports that adolescents between 12-15 are ranked third in victimization rate while adolescents between 16-19 are the most victimized group in the population. In an animal model, peripubertal or adolescent male hamsters exposed to the stress of threat and attack from larger hamsters present with altered agonistic behavior as young adults when compared to their sibling controls. In addition, adult animals with a history of adolescent stress have altered brain chemistry, specifically, the arginine vasopressin (AVP) and serotonin (5-HT) innervation to the hypothalamus involved in the regulation of agonistic behavior. This work asks three questions: (1) how has adolescent stress affected the AVP and 5-HT systems; (2) are the behavioral and neurobiological changes caused by stress in adolescence different from those caused by stress in adulthood; and (3) are the changes in neurobiology and behavior from adolescent stress permanent? Stress-induced changes in the AVP and the 5-HT systems are determined by measures of gene transcription, receptor binding, and neurotransmitter release with microdialysis; the behavior and neurobiology of siblings exposed to stress during adolescence or adulthood are compared to age matched sibling controls; and animals stressed in adolescence are examined over several months for recovery of behavior and neurobiology. This work will help understand the effects of stress in adolescence and the ability of the brain to recover from insult at this potentially vulnerable period of development.