NEUROENDOCRINE RESPONSES TO MATING IN THE FEMALE

描述(摘自申请者的摘要)：在许多雌性哺乳动物中， 交配过程中接受的阴道宫颈刺激(VCS)可以改变性行为 反应性，并引发或诱导几个神经内分泌变化 影响生殖成功。啮齿动物需要VCs才能启动 早孕或假孕的内分泌变化 特别是每天两次的催乳素(PRL)分泌激增，保持 黄体功能。收到的VCS的特殊特征 雌性在交配时的行为是PSP是否会 并且VCS的模式之间存在唯一的对应关系， 雌性需要开始怀孕和形成图案 雌性在交配时接受的交配刺激。因此， 这个模型系统提供了一个在细胞水平上研究如何 行为的表达会长期影响神经功能。 句号。 尽管我们对内分泌机制的了解取得了进展 作为PSP的负责人，我们的知识仍然不完整，特别是在 PRL初始阶段的区域涌动。来自PI的最新工作 实验室已经证明了一种富有成效的方法来解决如何 交配刺激引发催乳素激增是利用自然发生的 评价神经功能变化的性交刺激模式 是PSP特有的。在这笔赠款的有效期内进行的研究 将探索发生在近端的神经和内分泌变化 研究人员大脑的几个区域对VCS的反应 被确定为参与VCS被转换到 早孕PRL峰值/PSP。实验将：1)确定 对交配的特定PRL反应负责PSP；2)探索 杏仁内侧核在传入生殖感觉传入中的作用 探讨PSP的神经内分泌变化；3)检测PSP是否上行 去甲肾上腺素能纤维参与启动内侧核的变化。 杏仁核是PSP所必需的；以及4)研究催产素神经元在 室旁核在交配诱导催乳素冲动中的作用这个 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 交配行为启动了怀孕早期的神经内分泌反应。

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.