Vasopressin and Maternal Behavior

NICHD的使命是确保每个人出生时都健康和受欢迎，妇女不受 生殖过程的有害影响，以及所有儿童都有机会充分发挥其 有可能过健康和富有成效的生活，没有疾病或残疾，并确保健康， 通过最佳康复提高所有人的生产力、独立性和幸福感。产后焦虑 抑郁症对母子双方的健康都有负面影响。 通过对女性行为的影响，人们对这些疾病的病因知之甚少。虽然 慢性应激是抑郁症的重要危险因素，目前尚不清楚哺乳期慢性应激是如何发生的。 会影响母性行为。最近的分子研究表明，神经激素精氨酸加压素 促肾上腺皮质激素(AVP)、催产素(OXT)和皮质类固醇释放激素(CRH)可能参与调节 哺乳期大鼠的母性行为。假设中央AVP系统可能是一个潜在的目标 用于治疗产后行为障碍，如AVP改变行为的中枢操作。这个 目前方案的总体目标是调查AVP在产后母体行为和 攻击性，以及社会压力对这一系统的影响。当前提案的具体目标是 描述中枢AVP、OXT和CRH在母性行为和母性行为控制中的作用 攻击性，调查慢性社会压力对这些行为和中枢AVP的影响 探讨AVP介导的慢性社会应激对母体的影响机制 行为。将使用行为、内分泌、生理和分子方法来实现这些目标 量化慢性社会应激源、分子和成像(FMRI)技术的影响，以确定 与母亲行为的急性和慢性控制有关的神经区，以及立体定向手术 操纵中枢AVP活动的技术。总体目标是在行为方面获得有价值的培训) 神经科学技术和研究神经肽能控制行为。长期的职业目标是 为母亲的行为障碍开发新的靶点和治疗方法。

The mission ofthe NICHD is to ensure that every person is born healthy and wanted, that women suffer no harmful effects from reproductive processes, and that ail children have the chance to achieve their full potential for healthy and productive lives, free from disease or disability, and to ensure the health, productivity, independence, and well-being of all people through optimal rehabilitation. Postpartum anxiety and depression-associated disorders can have negative effects on the health of both mother and offspring through effects on matemal behavior, and little is known about the etiology of these disorders. Although chronic stress is a significant risk factor for depression, it is unknown how chronic stress during lactation affects maternal behavior. Recent molecular studies indicate that the neurohormones arginine vasopressin (AVP), oxytocin (OXT), and corticosteroid releasing hormone (CRH) may be involved in the modulation of maternal behavior in lactating rats. It is hypothesized that the central AVP system may be a potential target for the treatment of postpartum behavioral disorders, as central manipulations of AVP alter behavior. The overall objective of the current protocol is to investigate the role of AVP in postpartum maternal behavior and aggression, and the effects of social stress on this system. The specific aims ofthe current proposal are to characterize the roles of central AVP, OXT, and CRH in the control of maternal behavior and maternal aggression, investigate the effects of chronic social stressors on these behaviors and central AVP, and investigate a potential AVP-mediated mechanism forthe effects of chronic social stress on maternal behavior. These aims will be pursued using behavioral, endocrine, physiological and molecular methods to quantify the effects of chronic social stressors, molecular and imaging (fMRI) techniques to identify the neural regions implicated in the acute and chronic control of maternal behavior, and stereotaxic surgical techniques to manipulate central AVP activity. The overal goal is to gain valuable training in behavioral) neuroscience techniques and study the neuropeptidergic control of behavior. The long term career goal is to develop new targets and treatments for behavioral disorders of mothers.