Adult Neurogenesis, Amygdala, and Social Attachment

描述（由申请人提供）：除了海马齿状回（DG）和脑室下区前部（SVZ）外，在其他大脑区域也发现了新增殖的细胞，包括杏仁核——一个涉及许多生理和行为功能的区域。在我们最近对雌性草原田鼠（Microtus ochrogaster）的研究中，在杏仁核中发现了增殖标志物5-溴-2'-脱氧尿苷（BrdU）标记的细胞，雄性暴露和交配导致杏仁核中BrdU标记的细胞数量持续增加。由于雄性暴露和交配诱发了雌雄草原田鼠之间的社会依恋，而杏仁核在社会依恋的形成中起着重要的作用，我们假设雄性暴露的刺激增加了杏仁核中新增殖细胞的数量，而杏仁核细胞的数量反过来又在草原田鼠社会依恋的形成中发挥了功能作用。为了验证这一假设，我们首先研究了与雄性接触相关的刺激，如雌激素水平的增加和交配行为，对雌性草原田鼠杏仁核细胞增殖和细胞死亡的影响。此后，我们用抗有丝分裂药物对动物进行整体或局部治疗，以检查对细胞增殖和社会依恋的影响。这些数据不仅拓宽了我们对新增殖细胞的功能意义的理解，而且还提供了有关杏仁核新细胞参与社会依恋形成的有价值的信息。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In addition to the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (DG) and the anterior portion of the subventricular zone (SVZ) , newly proliferated cells are found in other brain areas, including the amygdala--an area implicated in many physiological and behavioral functions. In our recent study in female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), cells labeled by a proliferation marker, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), were found in the amygdala, and male exposure and mating induced an enduring increase in the number of BrdU labeled cells in the amygdala. As male exposure and mating induce social attachment between female and male prairie voles, and the amygdala is important for the social attachment formation, we hypothesize that the stimuli associated with male exposure increase the number of newly proliferated cells in the amygdala, which, in turn, play a functional role in social attachment formation in female prairie voles. To test this hypothesis, we first study the effects of stimuli associated with male-exposure, such as an increased level of estrogen and mating behavior, on cell proliferation and cell death in the amygdala of female prairie voles. Thereafter, we treat animals with an anti-mitotic drug in general or site-specifically into the amygdala to examine the effects on cell proliferation and social attachment. These data will not only broaden our understanding of the functional significance of newly proliferated cells in general, but also provide valuable information regarding involvement of new cells of the amygdala in social attachment formation in particular.