Neural Changes Induced by Mating in the Female

描述(申请人提供)：在雌性大鼠中，在交配或分娩期间接受的阴道颈部刺激(VCS)改变了性行为和母性行为，并诱导神经内分泌变化，影响生殖成功。交配是启动早期妊娠的内分泌变化所必需的，特别是在妊娠的头10-12天或假孕(PSP)期间，每天两次的垂体催乳素(PRL)分泌激增，从而维持卵巢孕酮的分泌。雌性在自然交配过程中接收到的VCS的特殊特征决定了是否会发生PSP，雌性接收到的插入的数量和时间都被证明影响了PRL浪涌的启动。数据表明，交配期间雌性对VCS的主动构图或起搏对于处理和存储生殖器感觉输入至关重要，而起搏交配产生的间歇性和不连续刺激最大限度地增加了大脑中积累足够数量的刺激用于PSP的可能性。我们假设，这些PRL激增的表达既依赖于交配过程中单个刺激的总和，也依赖于在随后的10-12天内维持PRL激增表达的长期变化。以前的工作已经确定了自然交配刺激是诱导PRL激增的最佳刺激，确定了这种刺激直接导致PRL分泌的哪些特定变化，确定了杏仁内侧核(MEApd)是这种反应的重要整合中枢，并开始研究MEApd内的谷氨酸和去甲肾上腺素能神经递质是否以及如何参与PSP所需的神经助记符的建立。本申请中概述的实验将使用此模型系统来解决更广泛的问题，即如何过滤感觉刺激以最大限度地保留信息，以及感觉输入如何诱导神经可塑性，这可能会长期改变大脑功能。这项独立科学家奖的续展申请建议PI学习具有体视学精度的共聚焦显微镜，并进行一项合作的电生理学研究，检测MEApd神经元对重复VCS的反应。该计划将促进短期目标(共聚焦工作)，并将探索解决长期研究目标(电生理学项目)的途径。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In female rats, vaginocervical stimulation (VCS) received during mating or parturition modifies sexual and maternal behavior and induces neuroendocrine changes which influence reproductive success. Mating is required to initiate the endocrine changes of early pregnancy, in particular, the twice-daily surges of pituitary prolactin (PRL) secretion which occur for the first 10-12 days of pregnancy or pseudopregnancy (PSP) and which maintain ovarian progesterone secretion. The particular characteristics of the VCS received by the female during a natural mating sequence determine whether PSP will occur, and both the number and the timing of intromissions received by the female have been shown to influence the initiation of the PRL surges. Data suggest that active patterning or pacing of VCS by the female during mating is critical for processing and storage of genitosensory inputs and that the intermittent and discontinuous stimuli resulting from paced mating maximize the likelihood that sufficient amounts of stimulation accumulate in brain for PSP. We have hypothesized that expression of these PRL surges is dependent both upon summation of individual stimuli throughout a single episode of mating and upon longer-term changes which perpetuate the expression of PRL surges over the subsequent 10-12 days. Previous work has characterized the natural mating stimuli which are optimal for induction of the PRL surges, determined which specific changes in PRL secretion are the direct consequence of such stimulation, established that the medial amygdala (MEApd) is an important integrative center for this response, and begun to examine whether and how glutamatergic and noradrenergic neurotransmission within the MEApd are involved in establishment of the neural mnemonic required for PSP. The experiments outlined in this application will use this model system to address the broader questions of how sensory stimulation is filtered to maximize retention of information and how sensory input induces neural plasticity which may alter brain function over the long term. This Independent Scientist Award renewal application proposes that the PI learn confocal microscopy with stereological precision and that she undertake a collaborative electrophysiological study examining responses of MEApd neurons to repetitive VCS. This plan will facilitate short-term goals (confocal work) and will explore avenues for addressing long-term research goals (electrophysiological project).